BLACKSTONES 1-2 SAFFRON DYNAMO: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

Dynamo Spoil Stones’ Big Night…

Blackstones 1-2 Saffron Dynamo

Needing a victory with a two-goal margin to overhaul league leaders Long Buckby (or just a win, if you count alphabetical order…), Blackstones failed, going two goals behind during the latter stages of the opening period. A defensive error of some odiousness let in Jamie Starbuck for goal one and then a miscue by the home defence saw Mahir Mohammed wrestle clear of home right-back Jack Bates to scramble a second goal at the second attempt… Saffron had passed the ball confidently and continued to do so, although the Stones did mount more offense, seemingly fuelled up by half-time propane after the break, but without really testing visiting custodian Davis Glover. It was like the home forwards’ shooting boots were suffering a fungoid problem, for most of their attacks were repelled by the excellent Dynamo skipper Ben Tye and sidekick Jack Blanksby. As an attendee at Blackstones, it was my fledgeling visit and this was no neglected ground run by slumlords, for the facilities were clean and smart and the welcome quite wondrous, so much so that I wished I had taken along my edentate to accompany the badger and the spider. However, the sloth would not have fitted in my bag…

NO ROOM FOR THE SLOTH...

Apologies for the use of the above obscure seven words in italics but I had challenged myself to include the last seven anagram words posted in The Times this week… They are all there. Sad? Yeah, I guess…

DYNAMO HUDDLE IN FRONT OF THE BLACKSTONES BADGE...

THE TOSS...

So, finally, the Stones managed to score a very late goal, courtesy of Joseph Moore-Papworth’s header but it was too little, too late, as folks like to say. Top goalscorer Lee Clarke rarely troubled the Dynamo defence, Jones De Souza ran speedily and might have finished better but free-kick specialist Ben Cowles will have more productive days. The fulcrum for Saffron was probably Wes Johnson, whose efforts should not be disregarded, as he held up play, often looked slick on the ball and looked to switch the direction of attack smartly on occasions. The hard graft of Aidy Kilby and Brad Essex should not be underestimated either, as Dynamo buckled down to hold what they had gleaned prior to the interval.

WHERE THE TACTICS WERE BELLOWED FROM...

JOHNSON REFUSES TO PLAY LEAP-FROG WITH THE REF...

Before the recess, Clarke drove too high and saw another effort blocked, whilst a low centre from the right byeline by De Souza struck Glover’s legs at the near stick. A weak right-booter by De Souza might just have produced a greater reward had it been struck by the left one instead but the best chances fell to central defender Matt Simpson and midfielder Cowles. Simpson plunged to head a good chance wide at the left post from Cowles’ delivery, whilst Cowles clipped one free-kick too high, saw another strike Johnson, who then staggered about like he couldn’t handle his eighth lager. Cowles himself also shot low at the Saffron gloveman and also headed against Glover’s, er, gloves… 

DE SOUZA IS TOLD OFF FOR, ER, TELLING A LINESMAN OFF...

THE GLOVED GLOVER...

Saffron had already seen a cross-shot by Starbuck flash across the goal from right to left, before a fine shot by the impressive Fin Reaney only just cleared the right angle of crossbar and upright from 28 yards. Essex had been cautioned for a foul but struck an angled shot from the right against home goalie Aaron Bellairs’ shins but in the final minutes of the 45, Saffron dynamically rushed forth and netted a brace. Firstly, a long, hooked pass by Reaney was chased by Starbuck at inside-right, probably hopefully but somehow Stones’ left-back Rikki Wilmer and Bellairs collided in a real confusion of decisions and naturally the ball rolled on for the Saffron forward to roll into a gaping net from around 12 yards.

STARBUCK CELEBRATES WITH A SOCK...

Hardly had the shock reached the home players, when they had conceded again. Bates slightly miscued near the half-way line and that sent Mohammed running on the left flank, chased all the way by the Blackstones right-back. There was pulling by both probably, but Mohammed shrugged off his marker and bore down on goal, seeing his first effort under duress stopped but he lifted the rebound instantaneously into the net from a couple of yards out.

MOHAMMED HAS ADDED GOAL 2...

Much to do for the Stones then and they were ready for the second period early, forced to wait around for their guests to wipe the biscuit crumbs from their chins. In truth, despite the efforts of the Dynamo forwards in chasing lost causes and Johnson’s attempts to free his wide players Mohammed and Starbuck, it proved a case of holding the lead, passing whenever possible and simply frustrating the hosts, as the Greens became more desperate. 

WAITING FOR THE DYNAMO TO START UP...

HERE WE GO...

Strangely though, despite several Blackstones corners and a few free-kicks, the Saffron defence held firm for the most part. A Cowles shot drifted off target, Martin Fox’s nod was claimed by Glover, following Simpson’s miscue, Blanksby made a fine block from Clarke at 18 yards, Simpson lifted a decent opportunity vertically, skipper Jake Pell’s header was grabbed by Glover and replacement Josh Edmondson nodded a late chance wide of the near post from a right-side flag-kick. The only other threats came from the sprightly De Souza. He had a low shot hacked from the goal-line by Tye, after Clarke had fed Moore-Papworth, whose shot had struck Glover’s lower limbs from an angle, then De Souza moved onto Clarke’s releasing pass but fired wide of the left upright from inside-right and finally he saw a close-range shot in a melee blocked by the Dynamo defenders. The goal was well taken by the falling Moore-Papworth, who headed in a left-wing centre by Edmondson but it simply wasn’t enough on a disappointing night for the Greens.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT ANGUISH...

BELLAIRS WONDERS WHERE THE CROWD IS...

AFTER A COUPLE OF WARNINGS, CLARKE IS CAUTIONED...

Indeed, lively Saffron substitute Oli Hart, who displayed some neat touches, must still be wondering how he simply didn’t convert a low left-side centre at the right stick in the closing moments. Finally, Johnson shot low to Bellairs as time ran out but Dynamo subsequently held on against a disappointing Blackstones, for whom both Clarke and Simpson were cautioned.

CLARKE FINDS THE NET, BUT NOT WITH THE BALL...

MOORE-PAPWORTH HAS PULLED BACK A GOAL...

Having seen Saffron away to both Long Buckby and Blackstones this term, they will be a knot in several teams’ yo-yo strings as the months progress and lying in the top eight of the division, few clubs will relish a battle with these guys. Blackstones will recover, doubtlessly, but on the night, the vociferous Tye’s men dug in, passed the ball and took their chances…

PLENTY OF HART (17) & ALSO PROMISE...

It’s what they do… 

TEAMS:

BLACKSTONES:

AARON BELLAIRS, JACK BATES, RIKKI WILMER, JAKE PELL (CAPT), MATT SIMPSON, ANDREW BOOME, BEN COWLES, JOSEPH MOORE-PAPWORTH, JONES DE SOUZA, LEE CLARKE, MARTIN FOX.

SUBS:

LIAM BUTTERY, BEN EASSON, NICKI YOUNG, LEWIS MORLEY, JOSH EDMONDSON.

SAFFRON DYNAMO:

DAVIS GLOVER, RYAN COYLE, GEORGE TYLER, JACK BLANKSBY, BEN TYE (CAPT), AIDY KILBY, BRAD ESSEX, FINN REANEY, JAMIE STARBUCK, WES JOHNSON, MAHIR MOHAMMED.

SUBS:

JORDAN HENRY, JOSH LEE, SAM SUTTON, APIWE MANTANA, OLI HART.