COVENTRY PLUMBING 1-0 TRIUMPH ATHLETIC: THE MATCH REPORT...

Farrell Goal Edges Out Triumph In Keen Workout

Coventry Plumbing 1-0 Triumph Athletic

This pre-season game was fought closely between two teams which might just do rather well during the current season in their respective divisions. Certainly Triumph created goalscoring opportunities, as did their hosts, although one felt that the winning goal by Connoll Farrell had come rather against the run of play. Athletic’s athletic left-winger Owen Wassall had already been denied twice by home goalie Ross Davis, whilst later in the match, replacement Plumbers’ ‘keeper Harry Dipper held onto two headers by Tom Atkins. A few other chances were missed by both teams but after the interval, substitutions affected the rhythm of the proceedings and in truth, Coventry then reverted to playing a possession game with their slender lead intact, although the shooting opportunities which arose for the hosts were meat and drink to visiting custodian Khane Barlow.

THE VISITORS PAUSE FOR A MOMENT...

The visitors had begun strongly and Wassall’s low angled effort was gloved across the face of goal by Davis but with Luke Comasky hovering, the ball flew to Josh Pointon, whose decent 20 yard rising strike flew past the left upright. When home defender Toby Dipper missed a through-pass which dropped over his head, Wassall took on the advancing Davis at inside-right but the ‘keeper came out on top again to save the wide-player’s measured left-footer. New forward Arron Francis found getting into the encounter rather tough, although he did fire one effort way off target to the right. After Plumber James Chappell’s left-side centre had been headed too high by the fast-arriving Cam Pringle-Andrews and Comasky had glanced Pointon’s cross well wide with his head at the opposite end, Plumbing won a throw on the left, from which they scored the only goal of the game.

REF: "I HAVE A HEADACHE, SO NO SHOUTING PLEASE?"

Kyle King did well to get to the left byeline and his shovelled pass across the penalty-box appeared to wrong foot some players but there was Farrell to hook a left-boot volley which dropped against the upper regions of the right post and from there bounced into the net.

THAT BALL IS CLOSE TO CONNOLL FARRELL'S RIGHT BOOT.
BEWARE...

HOWEVER, HIS LEFT BOOT OFTEN SCORES GOALS...

...LIKE THE WINNER IN THIS MATCH...

The only other chance which fell Coventry’s way was when a decent left-footed, right-flank centre by Farrell saw the aerially effective home skipper Jordan Powell head the ball goalwards from beyond the far stick but Triumph skipper Rich Atkins clubbed the ball away from his goal-line. For their part, Athletic roused themselves again before the break, Wassall’s left-wing cross being ushered away for a corner on the right by the conscientious Powell and from Nick Walker’s right-side flag-kick the ball fell to Wassall at inside-right but his swivelling left-booter drifted just wide of the left upright.

THE SIMPSON IS HERE...

The game had been fairly even until half-time then, with Powell and especially Chappell performing strongly in the home midfield and Phil Chesters, alongside Dave Evans looking comfortable in the Coventry defence, for Toby Dipper had been forced off injured during the half. Joe Gardner made a few runs for the hosts, the solid Joe Tobin damaged a hamstring and he too was replaced but offensively, Plumbing had been limited. Walker had prompted Athletic, Tom Atkins was a threat in support of the robust character Dave Simpson and of course, Wassall had proved to be a danger. At the back, Barry Middleton and the reliable Rich Atkins had pretty much held Farrell and King at bay, bar one telling moment, which subsequently turned out to be crucial.

REF: "NO SNARLING, JAMES.
REMEMBER, I HAVE A HEADACHE..."

Following the short interval Plumbing’s calm passing game, utilising replacement goalie Harry Dipper, the central defenders and the full-backs, meant a lot of chasing for the visiting Stags forwards. Substitute Jack McGuire ran hard for Triumph though, whilst another replacement Tim Cooper drove a shot extremely high over the home crossbar, after impressive Plumber Dave Jeffries had nodded Walker’s corner clear. Kyle Jaynes shot too high for the hosts and the often neat Pringle-Andrews nudged a near post header wide from Chappell’s corner, before visiting ‘keeper Khane Barlow kicked a clearance against Powell which flew past the right upright. However, soon Athletic might just have scored an important goal…

THE HALF-TIME MEANDER...

Walker’s delivery from a right-wing corner found the head of Tom Atkins but his effort flew straight into the gloves of Dipper. Farrell was getting little joy, now playing more as a left-sided attacker, although he did rap an acute effort into the side-netting, before he was rested. Doyle’s work on the right led to a chance for Jaynes but Barlow plunged to save at the striker’s feet and when a Jeffries delivery from the right struck a Triumph defender, Barlow gratefully pounced upon the loose ball before it crossed his goal-line. After a byeline centre from the right by Triumph had seen Evans slice the ball away for a corner, Gardner shot to Barlow at the other end, Doyle nudged a Chappell near post centre wide and Curtis Cutts, wearing 99, no Flake evident though, also shot straight at the gloveman.

SO, WHO NEEDS FLOODLIGHTS?

Strangely, Triumph might just have snatched parity late in the match when Tom Atkins met a free-kick with a solid forehead but much to his woe, his effort flew straight into the magnetic gloves worn by Dipper. Rich Atkins remained defiant alongside Middleton for the visitors and Wassall returned later in the game, following a break but the equaliser would not come. Raffaele Manna had replaced Matt Budd quite successfully for the visitors and Barlow had dealt with his business well enough between the vertical poles.

EXPRESSIONS 1...

Chappell was so effective for Kev Kingham’s team though, even receiving a couple of rebukes from the referee for some harsh tackles too, whilst Powell was the ideal skipper in midfield, winning such important headers. Chesters looked settled in defence, as did the strong running Jeffries, who enjoyed a positive second period. 

EXPRESSIONS 2...

Certainly Athletic’s manager Joe Atkins would have been fairly pleased with the performances of a number of his players, if not with the result itself…

SQUADS:

COVENTRY PLUMBING:

ROSS DAVIS, JOE TOBIN, DAVE EVANS, CAM PRINGLE-ANDREWS, PHIL CHESTERS, TOBY DIPPER, JOE GARDNER, JAMES CHAPPELL, CONNOLL FARRELL, JORDAN POWELL (CAPT), KYLE KING, JACK DOBSON, DAVE JEFFRIES, LIAM DOYLE, KYLE JAYNES, CURTIS CUTTS, HARRY DIPPER.

TRIUMPH ATHLETIC:

KHANE BARLOW, MATT BUDD, JOSH POINTON, BARRY MIDDLETON, RICH ATKINS (CAPT), NICK WALKER, LUKE COMASKY, TOM ATKIS, DAVE SIMPSON, ARRON FRANCIS, OWEN WASSALL, JACK MCGUIRE, TIM COOPER, LUKE STANSFIELD, RAFFAELE MANNA.