KIRBY MUXLOE 1-2 ASHBY IVANHOE: THE MATCH REPORT...

Valiant Ivanhoe Plunder Castle Of Kirby Muxloe… 

Kirby Muxloe 1-2 Ashby Ivanhoe

And so, on August Bank Holiday Monday I drove the M42, the M6South50 (its roadworks’ speed limit has surely by now become incorporated into the highway’s real name) then the M69 and the M1 to Kirby Muxloe. This journey was made so that I would be able to pay an entrance fee in order to cover the above match with video highlights and commentary, screenshots and images, plus a full match report. Shame the ladder was missing though, for I was thwarted in my hopes of getting an elevated view of the action from the scaffold-supported gantry between the dugouts. Ah, well, at least I was in the shade, where the visitors spent their half-time break, instead of returning to a stuffy dressing-room… 

THE REFEREE TELLS MINSHULL THAT HE IS WEARING A HIP-CAM...

Coming off a tough FA Cup win at Winterton Rangers on Saturday the hosts began this encounter strongly, yet after taking the lead through their skipper Aaron Love, they allowed the visitors to get more of a grip on things. The real surprise was how effectively Ivanhoe’s central defenders Tom Rowell and Joe Neal dealt with Muxloe’s leading scorer George Bosworth (who has eight goals already this term) and his lively sidekick Suleiman Nassor. The loss for Kirby might just have been partly due to both Nassor and winger Mussa Yussuf getting injured during the match and perhaps some kind of reaction from the tough FA Cup tie played only forty-eight hours earlier.

DYCHE: NOT TROUBLED MUCH...

BOSWORTH (10): A QUIET GAME...

The guests however had been beaten at Hinckley on Saturday in a league contest and had been short of a few regulars, which suggested that Ivanhoe might have had fresher legs… That is a contentious suggestion but certainly the visitors became the more dominant team as the afternoon of stifling heat wore on. In truth, the final minutes with Ashby clinging to their 1-2 lead, given to them by Liam Donaghy’s predatory finish and a superb volleyed strike by skipper Benn Minshull, became a little nervous but in all honesty Ivanhoe’s goalie Tom Dyche was rarely extended at all. The points were deservedly won by Ashby, although the dismissal of their replacement Kyle Croxall near the end for an ugly attempt to tattoo home defender Ruari O’Boyle’s shin whilst looking in the other direction, left a sour taste in the mouth…

HEAD DOWN, CROXALL, RIGHT, LEAVES THE FIELD...

During the opening period, Muxloe’s Sam Gent and Bosworth (with a free-kick) had efforts saved low and comfortably by Dyche and following his goal, Aaron Love drove an 18 yard volley too high, after a Tom Carroll free-kick had been cleared by Ashby. The goal stemmed from a good dribble on the left by Nassor, who beat Neal and crossed the ball low, the ball deflected off Tom Rowell and there was Love at the far stick to convert with ease. 

CAUTION FOR TOM ROWELL...

GOAL FOR AARON LOVE (8)...

Otherwise, despite Nassor’s clear ability to run at defenders, little got past Neal and Tom Rowell. Indeed, Tom Rowell was cautioned early on for blocking the Kirby forward, perhaps harshly according to his father who stood near me during the second period… In fact Muxloe’s Gent was fortunate not to have been sin-binned for some voluble dissent and so once again the inconsistency of some refereeing showed its ugly head, for I had seen two players in Gloucestershire binned as sinners on Saturday for much quieter disagreements…

YUSSUF IS BOOKED...

Ashby’s tall striker Kerr Horn worked hard for his team throughout and caused a problem for home ‘keeper Brad Jones with a jump early in the game then generally forced home defenders Kane Brown, who was dependable and James Merriman, who was efficient, to concentrate at all times. Now before I could say, “Jack Robinson…” I must add that Jack Robinson forced Jones into a diving save, as the tenacious midfielder’s curling effort was pushed round the gloveman’s left upright. So, there were two Loves and two Browns on the team-sheet for Kirby and two Rowells in the Ashby line-up, so in referring to Pat Rowell in midfield, it must be said that his performance was as massive as his sibling, especially as apparently he hasn’t seen too much football in recent times. He missed out by knocking the ball well over the home crossbar on three occasions before the break and Ashby’s coded half-time talk…

ROBINSON, LEFT: SNAPPED AT HEELS AND PASSED WITH SOME ACCURACY...

GENT: FORTUNATE NOT TO BE SIN-BINNED...

Neal also saw an effort from a Minshull free-kick deflected, lively left-back Harry Stewart drove too high from 25 yards and a free-kick by Minshull curled by the right-angle of crossbar and post. Kirby’s Yussuf had been cautioned for an unwise challenge, Ivanhoe’s right-back Jack Dunkley had taken a knock and thus two replacements were evident after the break, Tyler Love for the hosts and Sam Hankin for the guests. 

EARLY SECOND PERIOD JOY FOR ASHBY...

It became clear that Ashby had taken the initiative straight after the recess and Donaghy had already forced a save from Jones before he regained parity for his team. Minshull’s left-side centre was nodded against the crossbar by Horn, Donaghy leaned forth to head the rebound goalwards but Jones did well to keep the effort out, only for Donaghy’s left boot to ram the loose ball into the left corner of the net from a yard or so. There had seemed a dearth of Muxloe defenders during this piece of action and there was certainly more anticipation shown by the eager visitors to exploit the unguarded goalkeeper in the fracas.  

GOAL FOR DONAGHY...

Donaghy would cut in from the left and shoot at Jones and see another effort deflect off O’Boyle but Horn shoved a close range effort wide, albeit from an offside position, he then cut inside from the left and although his shot was miscued it still rolled close past the right stick. Subsequently though, it would be a great shot from downtown out on the right flank by Minshull which proved to be a worthy winner. Donaghy had nudged the ball forward along the right touchline, O’Boyle had deflected it on and Minshull simply smashed a dipping right-shoe volley over the flying Jones and the ball dropped into the far corner of the net…

1-2 NOW...

MINSHULL, LEFT, SMILES WITH SATISFACTION...

The hosts had seen Nassor delay his shot on one occasion, allowing Neal to make a fine challenge but Nassor suffered a nasty collision later in the half and he was duly replaced. Tyler Love stabbed a shot well wide, he then shot too high and finally delivered a late centre across the face of goal with Dyche watching as carefully as the sun in his eyes would allow. Aaron Love shot low to Dyche and replacement Jack Toon nodded a right-side centre onto the roof of the Ashby net with the visiting players willing the ball not to drop too soon…  

NASSOR IS DOWN BUT HE COULDN'T CARRY ON...

Time eventually ran out for Muxloe, who certainly battled near the end with some danger emanating from substitute Leonardo Duarte Da Silva Torres but after Croxall had been exiled along the line of trees behind the dugouts but the visitors, Tom Rowell remained imperious alongside Neal and the duo held their ground…

Kane Brown had done well for his group, urging and setting examples but Bosworth was offered little service in attack, despite the industry of Aaron Love, Dan Barber and set-pieceman Carroll. Ashby, as hinted at already, got their just rewards for a sterling comeback, as Minshull, Lewis Pointon, Robinson and Donaghy formed a useful pressing line, stifling their hosts, like the weather did too…

TEAMS:

KIRBY MUXLOE:

BRAD JONES, SAM GENT, RUARI O’BOYLE, KANE BROWN, JAMES MERRIMAN, TOM CARROLL, MUSSA YUSSUF, AARON LOVE (CAPT), SULEIMAN NASSOR, GEORGE BOSWORTH, DAN BARBER.

SUBS:

JOE SIMPSON, CALLUM BROWN, TYLER LOVE, JACK TOON, LEANARDO DUARTE DA SILVA TORRES.

ASHBY IVANHOE:

TOM DYCHE, JACK DUNKLEY, HARRY STEWART, JOE NEAL, TOM ROWELL, LIAM DONAGHY, JACK ROBINSON, BENN MINSHULL (CAPT), KERR HORN, PAT POWELL, LEWIS POINTON.

SUBS:

KYLE CROXALL, RYAN DOWLING, TORIN HARKIN, SAM HANKIN, RICKY BLEWITT.