NORTHAMPTON ON CHENECKS 2-3 HARBOROUGH TOWN: THE MATCH REPORT...

Sudden Crazy Goal Glut Interrupts Beer Tent Drowsiness

Northampton ON Chenecks 2-3 Harborough Town

This match wasn’t really the best entertainment for soccer spectators as the night drew in to enclose a beer festival beyond one touchline, which actually created more atmosphere than even the watchers of the Rugby Union battle taking place on another pitch. Until, that is, Harborough’s Callam Traynor was dismissed after the break for a random entanglement with thrusting Cheneck forward James Elkington, who had already scored a blinding opening goal from more than 25 yards during the first period. The sullen Traynor left the field understandably unhappy with his lot but somehow, despite being a goal behind, Town rallied and home ‘keeper Noah Murray-Hawkins conceded a penalty, gratefully scored by Barnes Gladman. Then although they went behind again, this time to a rasping Sam Jackson drive, the ten men took just a couple of minutes to overturn the deficit and snatch an unlikely victory, with the home defence seemingly all at sea.

READY TO GO...

The daft period of goalscoring was at odds with much of the untidy play on offer on a hard pitch, wherein there was much pressing, much crowding in midfield and a lot of scrappiness. Despite efforts being made to pass the ball around, precious little goalmouth action was seen until that blot appeared late on and the undermanned Bees stung their hosts. The dullness of Step 5 lights and the pale numbers on both sets of shirts made identification tough at times but I thank players from the teams for helping me out with who netted the ONs’ second goal and the Bees’ third, which had been difficult to ascertain on the video footage. Thanks too to the guy on the gate who wouldn’t take my entrance cash because I was reporting on the match. Doesn’t happen too often… 

SLIGHT HAIR MALFUNCTION FOR AARON PRESTON (10)...

I liked though the Bees’ go-to playmaker Adam Swain, whose passing was generally smart and simple, displaying too some smart control, yet Peter Taylor, not the ex-Spurs winger, became huge for Harborough, especially when his team went down to ten. Skipper Tony Bartlett was solid, confident and never seemed flustered, tidying up comfortably as the hosts attempted to scramble a late point. Sam Preston alongside Bartlett was strong too, yet neither goalie was duly overworked during the evening. Sam Jackson was a feature for Chenecks, Matty Reeve’s pace was a threat on occasions, whilst midfielder Tyrell Bernard was often slick on the ball. Jake Dumbleton and Elkington in the home attack worked so hard but in the end, some slack ON defending surrendered the contest to their guests.

THE REF REALLY WASN'T A SHARPE FAN.
MUST TELL BERNARD CORNWELL...

During the first period, a rushed, if inoffensive opening was lit up by Elkington’s fine goal, left-booted from 27 yards or so, inside-left channel. His hooked volley simply soared past Bees’ gloveman Glen Giles, smacked the inside of the right stick and flew into the net. Great stuff… Little had been created otherwise by either team, merely a low delivery by Northampton across the visitors’ goal which came to nought early on. Then a miss by Elkington from 6 yards when seemingly off balance saw him shoot way too high and finally a better effort by him was deflected away for an unproductive corner. For the guests, a shot by Swain went to home ‘keeper Murray-Hawkins and a near post flicked header by Gladman drifted off target. The evening seemed colder than it really was, as both teams struggled to create penetrating offense.

JOY @ 1-0...

ADAM SWAIN & JACOB DUMBLETON...

After the interval which was hopefully not spent in the beer tent by the players, despite the attraction, Aaron Preston’s assist led to a decent Gladman volley passing wide of the left upright for the Bees, before Traynor was exiled for his collision with the running Elkington. Jackson’s resulting free-kick struck the Bees’ defensive wall however, before the winger clipped a right-footer past the right upright after moving inside from the left flank. And then, incredibly, Aaron Preston broke into the home penalty-box at inside-right, Murray-Hawkins tripped him near the byeline and Gladman was truly a glad man as his low penalty regained parity for Town. 

READY FOR THE PENALTY...

THREE BEES REFUSE TO AGREE TO A GROUP HUG WITH THE REF...

Jackson was continuing to be a threat for ON, as they pushed on and he set up Bernard at 18 yards but the midfielder drove wildly off target. However, following a set-piece the ball fell sweetly for Jackson at inside-right and his rising, powerful drive from 19 yards beat the arching Giles’ leap. That should have been that really but immediately, the visitors won a deep free-kick which Murray-Hawkins looked to catch under no real pressure but he dropped the ball at Sam Preston’s feet near the right stick and the score was instantly 2-2.

2-1 NOW...

Incredibly, Bees’ replacement Dan Forbes fired in a low angled shot just moments later from the right side of goal, Murray-Hawkins managed to save it with his right hand but there was Aaron Preston to convert at the second post and the Bees had made honey for themselves. Murray-Hawkins made a late save from I think Harry Henbury, for it was Harborough who finished the stronger, with another replacement Ali Ashkir looking neat in midfield and Taylor rampaging about like someone had nicked his TV handset just as Match Of The Day was about to start…

DESPAIR IN THE CHENECKS' DEFENCE...

Such a strange game then but Harborough will be overjoyed with the outcome, despite Traynor’s sending-off. Interestingly the referee cautioned Forbes for Town but also the Chenecks’ long-thrower Mitch Sharpe. However, Sharpe was warned during the opening forty-five by the official for only jogging across the roped-off cricket square to retrieve the ball for a throw-in. Harsh admonishment? I’d say so… 

JACKSON'S FREE-KICK WOULD STRIKE THE DEFENSIVE WALL...

Subsequently, the crazy explosion of goals did for the hosts, despite some decent defending by Matt Deane and skipper Joe Lewington, but that beer tent awaited, I guess… 

TEAMS:

NORTHAMPTON ON CHENECKS:

NOAH MURRAY-HAWKINS, MITCH SHARPE, DAVID HUNT, MATT DEANE, JOE LEWINGTON (CAPT), ASH OGDEN, MATTY REEVE, TYRELL BERNARD, JACOB DUMBLETON, JAMES ELKINGTON, SAM JACKSON.

SUBS:

ADAM RUSSELL, MICHAEL OGILVIE, JAKE NAGY, ROSS GARLICK, TOM COCKING.

HARBOROUGH TOWN:

GLEN GILES, RYAN HODKINSON, FINLAY GRAY, TONY BARTLETT (CAPT), SAM PRESTON, CALLAM TRAYNOR, PETER TAYLOR, JOSH WALSH, BARNES GLADMAN, AARON PRESTON, ADAM SWAIN.

SUBS:

ALI ASHKIR, MARK BAKER, DAN FORBES, HARRY HENBURY, ALEX MORRIS.