COVENTRY PLUMBING 1-3 CONTINENTAL STAR: THE MATCH REPORT...

Smith Star Bright, As Plumbers Fade

Coventry Plumbing 1-3 Continental Star

I have something in common with Continental Star: their pitch and my front lawn have both been ravaged by crows in search of cockchafer beetle larvae. Just thought I’d mention that. However, on Coventry Plumbing’s decent surface, Star ran out 1-3 winners, despite being a goal down from the opening moments and scoring their third goal as darkness fell, on the break and somewhat against how the second period had panned out. The priceless third goal was scored by Ant Smith, his third of the evening and in truth, he was the difference between two teams vying for a runners-up spot in Midland League 3, along with AFC Solihull. However, the match ended in such poor light, well after 8.30pm and with Plumbing still seeking a couple of goals, that one has to question the officials’ handling of the encounter. It began late, then there was a delay at the end of the first period due to a poorly handled skirmish between players, before a full fifteen minute break was taken. This was remarkable, for rain had been forecast, hence cloud abounded and therefore there was a gloomy end to daylight. Add to all of this a couple of stoppages due to injuries and a lengthy and pedantic hold-up for a lecture by the referee at the two dugouts and finally, finally, the contest finished around 8.47pm in near darkness. Badly done… 

PRE-BELLOWING DUGOUTS...

The referee was verbally abused throughout the game and one voice from the Star dugout bellowed at him late on: “Ref’, you are consistently inconsistent…” This was probably true but I have refereed kids’ games and you can never please most folks much of the time. I was castigated by parents of my own son’s team because I was refereeing too fairly. They thought I shouldn’t have done that. I ran the line once for the Aston Villa Old Stars’ team (I played once for them too…) and was given some real stick from an old Scottish Villa forward because I had flagged him offside. It wasn’t pleasant. The unpleasantness between these two teams erupted before the break and it stemmed from a foul on Star’s Davion Hamilton by Captain Plumber Jordan Powell. The tackle was worthy of a caution but suddenly, Star’s skipper Aaron Garvey shoved the kneeling, appealing Powell to the ground. Powell then stood and pushed Garvey on the chest in a retaliation of sorts, before chaos reigned. 

THE CURSE OF THE HERON...

...FOR THESE TWO WOULDN'T BE SHAKING HANDS LATER...

There were hands raised to Powell’s face certainly, one player having run some 25 yards to put in his five-pence worth. To be fair, Garvey was mainly held back by a team-mate, despite his agitation and Jordan Powell kept his arms down but only the two of them were eventually cautioned. The referee stood back and simply whistled and whistled. And whistled some more. He consulted an assistant but much of the physical abuse between players (all but the antics of Powell and Garvey) was forgotten about. It was a disgraceful scene with feelings running high but the whole thing was poorly handled by the paid officials.

AFTER THE SCRAP...

THE LINESMEN LOOK MORE CONCERNED THAN THE TALL REFEREE DOES...

There were late niggles and challenges by both teams during this game and with so much at stake and with so much physicality on display (until it became too dark to see it, anyway…) more was needed from the officials. Yes, the referee was badly verbally abused by coaches and players, by some spectators too but nobody should condone that… 

FARRELL TO START THE GAME...

Ah, yes, the match… Plumbing eased into an early lead when Kyle King’s centre from the left resulted in a poorly guarded Star defence on their left flank and the ball was fastened onto by Joe Gardner, whose lift past surprised goalie Rich Gethin, left the forward with an open goal and the visiting defenders were left looking quizzically at the linesman on that side. No flag was waved and so the goal stood. That Coventry failed to add to that goal was due to Star’s central defender Josh O’Garro in particular, plus some wayward shooting by home hotshot Connoll Farrell and a miss by Jordan Powell. Farrell had an angled drive from the right deflected for a corner at the near post by O’Garro, following a delivery by home midfielder James Chappell, then Farrell shot well wide and later fired beyond the left angle of crossbar and upright, before he was superbly tackled from behind by O’Garro, as he was about to shoot on the 18 yard line. The last two chances for Farrell had been created by Jordan Powell’s headers and the skipper’s aerial prowess was never really attended to by Star.

1-0 TO THE PLUMBERS...

Jordan Powell had driven a good opportunity way too high near the right post, following a free-kick when he had lost marker Marcel Simpson, who would have an eventful match. It took a while before Star emerged as an attacking force but when they did, it was essentially Smith who worried the hosts. A weak effort wide of the right stick was followed by a turn at inside-right, 12 yards out and a low drive just wide of the left upright, before he was tackled really well by Jordan Powell, as he threatened again. He then picked up a clever flick from Garvey, who played well throughout, but drove a 16 yard effort past the left angle of bar and post but when it really mattered, Smith weighed in with two first period goals.

SMITH, RIGHT, A PRESENCE...

His first was a penalty, struck low and just right of centre, after left-flanker Jayden Ward had been fouled by Joe Tobin. Tobin had done enough against the speedy, tricky winger up to that point but a mistimed challenge was the right-back’s downfall. Soon afterwards Smith took possession of the ball just outside the penalty-box and rapped a low 20 yard effort onto the base of the left upright and the ball ricocheted behind the prostrate ‘keeper Paul Lawrence into the opposite side of the net.  Simpson had driven a hard shot 20 yards wide, Garvey had fired one effort straight at Lawrence and Jayden Ward had driven another past the left post but by half-time, the guests led the hosts.

YOU'VE SCORED LADS, SO NO NEED FOR HASSLE...

GARVEY IS STILL ANNOYED...

1-2 FOR THE GUESTS NOW...

For Continental Star, Hamilton and Garvey had been furious midfielders, Simpson and O’Garro had given little away in defence, right-sided attacker Reece Jacobs had made some quick bursts, Smith had been a decent spearhead and in truth, Plumbing didn’t have the same finishing power on the day. King was quiet, Farrell was off target but Jordan Powell was really effective in midfield. Charlie Ward and George Swain had coped with Smith for much of the half but when a striker is in form, he will always get among the goals, it seems.

AFTER A TACKLE LIKE HE WAS USING A SCYTHE, GARDNER IS ADVISED BY THE HEAD GARDENER...

The angry confrontation was close to the end of the first period but when the second-half began, it was quite a surprise to witness a resurgence by Coventry, for the visitors were too often pushed back and Smith was too often isolated. Jason Evans had earlier replaced the hurt Darren Hutchinson for the hosts and Tobin had moved to left-back to cover Jacobs. Evans, a forward, actually did well to keep Jayden Ward largely quiet. In fairness though O’Garro and Simpson kept their goalkeeper well protected and only now and again did Plumbing really look like scoring. Farrell saw a shot from inside-left blocked by Simpson, possibly on his raised left arm as he jumped but the Plumber would soon take a kick from Simpson and he failed to last the ninety minutes. Cam Pringle-Andrews nearly connected with a low King corner at the near post, Evans’ strong run ended with a good 25 yard shot which Gethin saved smartly, Tobin’s low shot was deflected to the gloveman but apart from a miscue from 12 yards by Gardner which was easily stopped by Gethin, Jordan Powell became something of the main weapon with his heading. He nodded off target twice, from Chappell’s and Tobin’s deliveries and nearly got a touch to another Chappell centre. His face ended up in one of Simpson’s hands too, as they jumped for a high set-piece, arching Powell’s spine as he fell backwards but not impressing the referee.

SMITH STARTS HALF TWO...

Chappell’s quietly decent performance, especially from free-kicks, was a plus for Plumbing but as the light faded badly, Garvey slipped a pass into the right side of the penalty-box, Smith reached it before Tobin and as Lawrence approached, the striker lifted the ball over him into the empty goal as they collided and the ‘keeper completed a cartwheel, like he’d been struck by a jeep along Westwood Heath Road. The game was done but home replacement Liam Doyle was close to connecting with a shot in a goalmouth scramble and Charlie Ward volleyed too high. I think so anyway but it was so dark by then I couldn’t even see my shoes. 

SOMEWHERE IN THERE IS GOAL 3 FOR STAR...

CELEBRATING...

Smith’s other shot after the interval was hit straight at Lawrence but he would subsequently be the Star, the hero, the match winner. Continental’s full-backs Cerbrant Deleon and Ronee Hendricks were strong, midfielder Anton Powell was lively and not shy to battle, whilst Hamilton yelled, Garvey cajoled, Smith featured and certainly O’Garro impressed. Hamilton was cautioned but was not happy about it and Star’s substitute Tony Green was hammered by Plumbing replacement James Keller but didn’t even get a free-kick, as he writhed in agony. For the Plumbers, Jordan Powell led his team well and the industry was never in doubt, although when it came to threatening Gethin, that was where Coventry were unable to gain success, despite a good deal of possession. 

HAMILTON GETS A CAUTION FOR A FOUL ON POWELL.
HE SAID HE HADN'T TOUCHED HIM...

O’Garro, Garvey and Smith were hugely instrumental in this fine victory for Star… 

BRITISH SUMMER TIME...

TEAMS:

COVENTRY PLUMBING:

PAUL LAWRENCE, JOE TOBIN, DARREN HUTCHINSON, JAMES CHAPPELL, CHARLIE WARD, GEORGE SWAIN, JOE GARDNER, CAM PRINGLE-ANDREWS, CONNOLL FARRELL, JORDAN POWELL (CAPT), KYLE KING.

SUBS:

LIAM DOYLE, JACK DOBSON, JASON EVANS, JAMES KELLER, KYLE LEWIS-AUBREY.

CONTINENTAL STAR:

RICH GETHIN, CERBRANT DELEON, RONEE HENDRICKS, ANTON POWELL, JOSH O’GARRO, MARCEL SIMPSON, REECE JACOBS, AARON GARVEY (CAPT), ANT SMITH, DAVION HAMILTON, JAYDEN WARD.

SUBS:

JUSTICE CAMPBELL, TONY GREEN, KEHNAN BARRETT, NATHAN WAITE.