TYTHERINGTON ROCKS 0-2 NEWENT TOWN: THE MATCH REPORT...

Success For Daffs In Vase…

Tytherington Rocks 0-2 Newent Town

Rather strange that a team nicknamed the Daffs should be playing in the Vase… However, league form was upturned in this tie, for Newent looked the more able outfit and created more offense than their hosts, although in truth, the visitors’ finishing was wasteful on occasions. However, it was only after home midfielder Jordan Saxton, one of four Jordans in the Rocks’ starting eleven, was dismissed for kicking out at Daff Rares Micula, that Newent finally managed to eke out a goal, despatched  by left-wingback Luke Hawkins, who had been a threat for most of the afternoon for his team. Striker Jordan Cooper who scares me even when he smiles (only joking…) netted a late penalty settler, after he had been tripped by outrushing home goalie Jordan Dunning. 

CROOT (5) DOES A MAGIC TRICK WITH THE REFEREE'S COIN...

EARLY AERIAL ACTION...

Certainly Cooper and strike partner Sanchez Grange would rue chances missed but a 0-2 victory was probably most welcome for a team which has made a slow start to the season. Despite the leadership in attack of Tytherington’s Dent (another Jordan, naturally…) little in the way of decent goalscoring opportunities came the way of the amber & blacks, colours stipulated by a founding member of the club, in honour of his Oxford College, Brasenose… In fact, full-backs Jordan (yes, another one…) Leonard and Andy Peterson were closer to scoring than Dent, Dawid Ryback and Gael Basana.

DENT & WOODWARD...

SEE? WHEN COOPER SMILES, HE SCARES ME...

I was afforded a friendly welcome at the ground, following my M5 journey from Solihull and I was not charged for entering the ground, which was most kind… The facilities were neat and smart, I was asked to take team photos before kick-off and one fellow on the sideline was heard chanting about going to, er, Wem-ber-ley after Newent had opened the scoring. He wasn’t drinking tea though…  

NOT THE BEST DAY FOR THE ROCKS' ATTACK...

THE LEAN CONTROLLER: ALLARD...

Exploiting the flanks, especially the left, Newent fashioned a good deal of offense before the break and it was Hawkins who caused much of the anxiety for the home defence. Grange though was unable to capitalise, forcing his way past a couple of defenders early on but shoving a left-booter wide of the right stick, before failing to get his head to a Hawkins centre and then any kind of touch to a delivery from the left by Cooper. Dunning saved a low shot by Grange, who was also prevented from shooting on another occasion by a combination of Dunning and Peterson. Hawkins didn’t get the power he needed with a low right-footer which Dunning stopped but the Daffman was unable to fasten onto the rebound. He also drove way too high after cutting in smartly from that left flank. Copper had a shot which drifted way off target and Micula drove one shot just too high then another tree-top high, as the visitors continued their profligacy.

QUIET DAFFS' BENCH...

The best effort at goal by Town was when Cooper back-heeled a shot in a melee but Dunning reacted well to his right to save from close range. Rocks? Ah, not much in the way of attacking, to be fair… Basana shot low to visiting gloveman and skipper Alex Goode, then with only the ‘keeper to beat, Basana inexplicably passed the ball across the penalty-box to where no accompanying Rock hovered. He also whacked too high when he intercepted a Newent clearance. Leonard drove just wide and a low 17 yard volley by Dent was blocked by Daff defender Luke Griffiths. 

THE ROCKS' BENCH...

All in all it had been a tense and uninspiring half, although I guess that Newent, attempting to make improvements, would have been pleased not only to have created chances but also not to have conceded a goal. The engine for the guests had been and would continue to be the outstanding Alex Allard, who found more time on the ball than anyone else, passed the ball mostly with accuracy and he was backed up by the busy Harrison Jones and the ebullient Micula. Cooper would be the attacking catalyst later in the game however, working well with both wingbacks, Hawkins and Fin Brown. 

BASANA, RIGHT, DIDN'T LOOK TOO HAPPY...

Cooper would shoot waywardly, then miss a good first-time chance from 12 yards by firing wide, as well as planting a near post header from a Brown corner past the target. Then he seemed to find the range and his low effort was saved by Dunning, who then stopped an angled drive by Cooper with an outstretched boot. Hawkins managed a downward header at the left upright but the ball bounced up and dropped gently onto the top of the crossbeam to the Daffman’s anguish. Later in the match Hawkins was also denied by Dunning following a smart Newent move. The ‘keeper saved well at his near post from a Grange effort and collected a low shot by Jones but he would subsequently be beaten by both Hawkins and Cooper.

JORDAN ATTEMPTS TO DENT THE BALL...

Both goals came after the dismissal of home midfielder Saxton, who appeared to kick out at Micula, who had smothered the Rock from behind in an innocuous midfield challenge. Red card, exile, slow walk to the dressing-room… Newent must have gained heart from the dismissal and sure enough, they struck twice. First, Cooper made for the left byeline, getting past a defender too easily and then passed sensibly inside to the unmarked number 3 whose 12 yard shot with the inside of his right shoe flew into the right corner of the net.

JONES & COOPER ENJOY THE FIRST GOAL...

...& NEWENT ARE ON THEIR WAY...

The second goal saw Cooper again plunder the left-flank but this time, Dunning was gunning for him, tripping him inside the 18 yard box as he rushed from goal. Cooper left-booted the resulting low spot-kick almost centrally as the ‘keeper fell slightly to his left. Game over, really… All the hosts could offer offensively during that second period were a header off target by Leonard, a low drive by industrious midfielder Bailey Croome which Goode grabbed and two very late efforts by Peterson. The first was a partial header wide, under pressure and the second saw the ball strike his upper back as he leapt and loop wide of the right stick, from replacement Fraser Moss’ delivery. 

0-2 NOW...

COOPER, RIGHT, IS THE SCORER...

There was no shortage of effort from the Rocks, merely a surprising lack of real drive and attacking verve, so that top scorer Dent was rarely offered the kind of service needed to threaten Newent. Skipper and central defender Nathan Croot, ably assisted by Lewis Toop (no Jordans there.,.) played well enough but Dawid Ryback and Basana were rarely able to contribute more than hard work and that non-shot by Basana was the only time either wide-player looked likely to threaten the vociferous Goode.  

NEAT PROGRAMME COVER...

The strength for the Daffs was at centre-back where John King, the rugged Brinley Woodward and Griffiths kept a tight ship, allowing Allard to stoke the fires of creativity and Micula and Jones to provide much of the trench warfare, as well as contributing to the passing game. 

So, Cooper came good, Newent came good but the Rocks disappointed on their big day…

TEAMS:

TYTHERINGTON ROCKS:

JORDAN DUNNING, JORDAN LEONARD, ANDY PETERSON, LEWIS TOOP, NATHAN CROOT (CAPT), JORDAN SAXTON, GAEL BASANA, JON BARLOW, JORDAN DENT, BAILEY CROOME, DAWID RYBACK.

SUBS:

MARCUS TOOP, FRASER MOSS, TOM HAIM, DAVID DOE.

NEWENT TOWN:

ALEX GOODE (CAPT), FIN BROWN, LUKE HAWKINS, JOHN KING, BRINLEY WOODWARD, LUKE GRIFFITHS, ALEX ALLARD, HARRISON JONES, SANCHEZ GRANGE, RARES MICULA, JORDAN COOPER.

SUBS:

MORGAN DAIES, CALLUM RICKARD, HARRY O’CONNOR, RICH PRICTOR, DEAN CORBETT, DARREN STRINGER, JOSH HIGGS.