UPTON TOWN 4-2 WESTFIELDS RESERVES: THE MATCH REPORT...

Upton Ease By Westfields In Close Contest

Upton Town 4-2 Westfields Reserves

Firstly, many thanks to both managers, Simon Craddock and Paul Boulton for writing down lists for me of their players’ names and numbers during this pre-season workout. This was my first visit to Upton Town FC, the new team in Midland League 3 this term but in truth it took Town some time to settle and affirm themselves in an encounter which ‘Fields will probably wonder how they lost. Admittedly the hosts finally managed to fashion more goalscoring chances as the match wore on but the plucky guests were undone by their own finishing and also a really awful error by their goalie, which gifted home striker Ryan Shemwell a soft goal and parity at 2-2. Two late goals then left the visitors looking shattered but in all honesty, this was an afternoon of honest endeavour between two squads of decent blokes.

A FIRM HANDSHAKE...
WOT, NO HIGH 5s?

MARK BOUCKER SURELY ISN'T BREAKING WIND AS THE GAME KICKS OFF?

Visiting forward Mark Boucker was a particular thorn in Upton’s side, using his low centre of gravity and strength to cause home defenders Craddock and the taller Craig Kitchener some awkward moments. He had a goal disallowed during the opening half when he placed a neat header across home ‘keeper Leyton Joyce at the far stick from Taylor Barnfield’s fine centre but otherwise in that period, his shooting was twice wayward, amid some poor Upton defending, once between Charlie Cotterill and his manager. The hosts though surprisingly took the lead, despite some periods of possession by ‘Fields’ Owain Woodcock and Jack Manuel in particular. Ryan Shemwell had already tested ‘Fields’ gloveman Jon Hopkins with two angled shots from the left, one easy to field and the other forcing a block at the near post with his shins but soon, he was beaten by a deflected effort from a similar position by Jack Shemwell.

IF HE'S 25, THEN I'M 34...

RYAN SHEMWELL PLAYED WITH A SMILE...
JAMIE WILDING (5) PLAYED WITH NO MARKERS...

Home skipper Gavin Hunter, who simply loved sliding challenges, taking me back to my playing days, shoved a neat pass for the wide-man to latch onto and his clipped effort rose off Manuel, over Hopkins and into the net. I had thought that the ball had dropped over the target and was wondering why no corner had been awarded, until I saw the congratulations being offered to the goalscorer… Hmm…

1-0 & GOALSCORER JACK SHEMWELL, LEFT, CELEBRATES WITH A THUMB-SUCK...

Jack Shemwell also saw a right-footed effort drift wide but he then forced Hopkins down to smother a 23 yard free-kick on the bounce. The only other shot of note for Upton before the break was when replacement Aaron Smith, who had substituted for the hurt Ollie Kendall, tested Hopkins with a decent drive from 16 yards and ‘Fields had been grateful to concede a corner following the goalie’s diving save. 

THE CHAP ON THE RIGHT AIN'T TO BE MESSED WITH...

ONE OF THE VILLAGE PEOPLE?

The equaliser from Westfields was also something of a surprise, for it stemmed from the kind of approach play which home ‘keeper Joyce had been yelling about for quite some time. Visiting defender Jamie Wilding had been allowed to venture forward with no real harassment and subsequently one of his passes, right to Owen Bolton, saw the winger slip past a defender and lift a kind of long cross-shot over the helpless Joyce and the ball dropped into the far corner of the net… However, it was forward Lewis Quinsey who threatened a few times for the wily visitors and he was first denied by a deflection at the left upright, then following the first of two poor defensive passes by Upton, was put off by the advance of the ever-nattering Joyce. Another pass by Wilding led to a break by Quinsey but Joyce was quickly out to spoil the attack, still grumbling loudly about the space afforded to the ‘Fields’ number 5…

BOLTON HAS EQUALISED...

After the break, Upton certainly pushed on more but once again they were shocked by a clinical ‘Fields goal. This time replacement James Holland won possession deep in his own half, looked up and smacked a long pass over the home defence and there was the scampering Boucker racing onto it, defenders in his wake but his 30 yard lob over stranded substitute goalkeeper James Carter was really accurate and Upton trailed 1-2. Already Manuel had seen a shot deflect to Carter but from then on only two other chances came the guests’ way. First, following Boucker’s assist, Quinsey ran into the penalty-box but he was denied by the advancing Carter, whose previous injury woes were exacerbated and he was replaced by Joyce in a sit-com situation.

THE REFEREE INSISTS ON PRAYING WITH RYAN SHEMWELL PRIOR TO THE SECOND PERIOD...

1-2: FINE LOB BY BOUCKER (9)...

Joyce had already changed to get quickly off to the pub after the match and for some reason, was forced to take over Carter’s kit, rather like a party game in which you have to change clothing with another guest. All of this was tinged with Joyce’s black humour, for the gloves and boots were “…too large…", Carter, he reckoned, had “…tied the knots with an Allen key…”, the shin pads apparently “…stank…" and he thus delayed the match for some six or seven minutes. That scenario, plus the passing by of two steam traction engines earlier made the day seem crazier still to me and my badger…  

SCHOOL SPORTS: THE DRESSING-UP RACE...

LEYTON NEEDS AN ALLEN KEY...

YOU'RE READY?
TOO LATE, THE 6 YEAR OLDS HAVE ALREADY FINISHED THE RACE...

So, wearing fancy dress, Joyce would make a crucial save at a critical moment, for ‘Fields’ winger Bolton struck a hard, rising drive from inside-right and the goalie was equal to it. Bolton nearly got a touch to a low Manuel effort, before he was denied by strong defending from Upton’s Noah Martin, a replacement. Westfields were playing more or less on the counter-attack after the hour mark, proof of which was the fact that their midfielders weren’t able to find as much freedom as they were able to exploit before the interval, allowing more influence to be gained by both Hunter and Neale for the hosts. 

ALI NEALE FINDS A SPLASH OF PERSPIRATION ON HIS HEAD...

During the second period then, Upton managed more efforts on goal, willed on by Craddock, who was constantly urging the passing game. Jack Shemwell’s right-footer went straight to Hopkins, then he struck a fine curling, left-booted free-kick against the upper, outer regions of the right post from 23 yards. The formidable, niggling, though angelic Neale was blocked in front of goal, Cotterill’s glancing header from a deep Jack Shemwell free-kick flew off target and Smith fired an effort too high.

STRAIGHT OFF THE CATWALK, THESE TWO...

The indefatigable Ryan Shemwell had already clipped two 20 yarders over the goal-frame, as well as nodding wide of the left stick from Craddock’s offensive header, yet it was he who stood in Hopkins’ way as the goalie attempted to kick the ball clear from the ground near his own left upright. The striker didn’t even have to go through the formality and energetic motion of kicking the ball, for it struck his torso and rolled into the net… I have no clip of that for there had seemed no danger whatsoever… The goalscorer was so embarrassed that his natural hair colour of yellow/brown suddenly beamed red… 

SMITH, 16, HAS PUT UPTON 3-2 AHEAD...

However, with the guests outraged at their poor fortune, Smith, who had strayed inside following substitutions, moved forward and shot a fine 24 yard drive which dropped past Hopkins and into goal near the left stick. It remained only for Ryan Shemwell to tumble inside the penalty-box in the closing moments with Holland shadowing him and the forward rapped his spot-kick home into the right corner of the net, sending Hopkins diving the wrong way. This was a ‘proper’ goal, I guess…

RYAN SHEMWELL'S PENALTY HAS SEALED THE WIN...
(HE IS FAR LEFT, NATURALLY...)

Certainly Upton kept at it doggedly, without really looking particularly exciting but this was a workout, a workout which must have pleased the Westfields management team, even in defeat. There had been some careless defending by Upton and they apparently have midfielders absent at present but with the megaphonic Joyce being the best communicator on view, their season might be very interesting. For ‘Fields, Woodcock, right-back Taylor Barnfield and the stubborn Callum Ditchfield all battled well, Boucker will likely score goals, whilst Bolton and Quinsey will surely contribute strongly for the team. Non-tossing skipper Ellis Davey was, like Barnfield, a progressive full-back, whereas Cassidy and Manuel supported the tall, lean Woodcock well enough, especially before the break.

"SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN AND THIS FINGER GOES UP A NOSTRIL, OK?"

Craddock held his group together, Hunter sometimes wasn’t sliding across the turf in tackling mode, the Shemwells were important members of the team and Neale was, er, Neale…

ALI NEALE IS ABOUT TO HAND HIS SHIRT TO A HOPEFUL FAN.
HE COULDN'T FIND ONE...

SQUADS:

UPTON TOWN:

LEYTON JOYCE (GK), DAN WILSON, JACK SHEMWELL, GAVIN HUNTER (CAPT), STUART HILL, JOE BARRETT, NOAH MARTIN, ALI NEALE, RYAN SHEMWELL, LUKE HANDLEY, ELLIOTT YATES, JAMES CARTER (GK), OLLIE KENDALL, CHARLIE COTTERILL, AARON SMITH, CRAIG KITCHENER, SIMON CRADDOCK (ALSO THE MANAGER.)…

WESTFIELDS RESERVES:

JON HOPKINS, TAYLOR BARNFIELD, ELLIS DAVEY (CAPT), CALLUM DITCHFIELD, JAMIE WILDING, OWAIN WOODCOCK, JACK MANUEL, JOEL CASSIDY, MARK BOUCKER, LEWIS QUINSEY, OWEN BOLTON, JAMES HOLLAND.

(MANAGER: PAUL BOULTON…)