SPORTING KHALSA 3-1 QUORN: THE MATCH REPORT...

Persistent Khalsa Finally Overhaul Foxhunters

Sporting Khalsa 3-1 Quorn

Khalsa deserved to progress from the second round of the FA Vase on offensive play alone. Right from the deliberate build-up of play from defence, generally involving Leon Miles and skipper Tesfa Robinson, the Asprays dominated much of this encounter played in wet conditions but crucially upon an artificial pitch. Several attempts at goal were unsuccessful before the break for the hosts, whilst Quorn nabbed a goal from one of their two decent opportunities, both set up by the gloved Steve Hart. Khalsa went close through the very influential Liam Armstrong and the dangerous James McGrady but strangely neither goalkeeper was forced into difficult saves. Certainly Sporting had looked the stronger outfit before the interval for tea and samosas but after the resumption, their efforts increased in dynamism and it seemed only a matter of time until goals were scored.

AFTER THE RAIN...

Oddly though, the equaliser came from a McGrady header whilst visiting central defender Dan Chapman was off the field having a head-wound seen to. The second Khalsa goal was a fine direct free-kick from the lively Sean Williams, whose aerial ability belied his height, but the free-kick, given for a challenge on replacement Josh McKenzie was strongly disputed by Quorn manager Martin Carruthers and his crew. The third goal was a thumping downward header by Miles but really, by then Quorn’s resolve had been mashed. They managed only two attempts at goal after the recess, suggesting that rescuing the situation was going to be well beyond them. It was…

HART, WITH GLOVES, STARTS THE MATCH...

During the opening period, a wild Nathan Dale volley, then a missed chance by Rackeem Reid, when he was slipped clear by Hart’s pass but shot wide of both encroaching home goalie Sam Arnold and the right stick, precluded a goal on the break by Joe Brothwell. The striker actually dispossessed Williams near centre-field and Hart spotted Brothwell’s ensuing run towards inside-right. A low shot by the harassed forward from 19 yards looked tame enough but somehow it squirmed beneath Arnold’s fall and rolled abjectly into the Asprays’ net. 

ROBINSON POSES AS AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PRIEST...

Khalsa had seen an early Williams clip drop past the right angle of crossbar and upright, a defender then did so well to keep out a low Armstrong drive from 16 yards after McGrady’s assist, then McGrady himself lashed a rising, rasping shot against the outside of the left post. The intriguing Gaz Singh shot wide of the right stick, Miles nodded wide of the left upright and Williams and Robinson somehow prevented each other from getting to another well directed cross. Indeed Chapman, Dean Meikle and Quorn’s defensive company did well to cope with some nasty corners by Armstrong, who really does appear to be the wind-up mechanism in his team’s midfield. However, rarely did the Foxhunters run down their prey, for Robinson and Miles were given lots of space in which to survey options for passes.

ROBINSON TRIES TO REMEMBER HOW TO SMILE...

...BUT FAILS...

THE REF HAS TO SORT OUT SOME COMPLAINTS...

GOAL FOR BROTHWELL...

CHAPMAN LIKES THAT...

WILLIAMS LOOKS LIKE HE'S ABOUT TO BE THROWN BY HART...

Leavi Oshungbure’s physical presence for Quorn had been, er, noticeable, also his long throws but Rich Whyman and Dale were stretched in attempts to quell Armstrong, Mike Perks and Mensah Kinch. Jay Holdcroft battled hard against the strength of Chapman and Meikle but when Josh McKenzie appeared during the second period, a more physical threat was henceforth endured by the Foxhunting defenders. The visitors really did manage only two shots after the interval, one being a 40 yard plus left shoe volley by Hart which dropped onto the goal net and in the closing moments, Reid broke again at inside-left but he was denied by a good save from the advancing Arnold’s left boot, something the ‘keeper would be pleased about…

SECOND PERIOD...

The Asprays would gradually increase the pressure upon their opponents like a tide moving up Mawgan Porth beach, where I like to bodyboard. McGrady made a fine run but passed to Kinch and thus neither got in a shot, before McGrady smacked another rising effort which this time hammered against the face of the crossbar with the white-clad Quorn goalie Adam Binks a mere spectator. Miles had a header grabbed by Binks, who also dived at the feet of Kinch and later, Kinch was unable to convert another McGrady delivery from the left. Singh struck a wild shot following a Binks punch then shot just too high, Holdcroft fell but didn’t get a penalty, quite rightly and substitute Kane Lewis nearly benefited when Binks dropped a Williams centre. McKenzie would be denied late on by a fine Chapman tackle but the goals would define Khalsa’s sheer persistence. 

THE WILLENHALL SKY...

A hard, low drive by Singh was well kept out by Binks, diving left but the second phase of that attack brought a reward for the Asprays. A deep right-side cross by Armstrong was met beyond the far stick by McGrady but whether the ball then nudged the shoulder of Quorn’s Jack Henchcliffe it was tough to see, for the ball looped gently upwards and over Binks to nestle in the empty net. Chapman was having his injury dressed at that point and so probably Quorn would feel distressed about conceding while he was absent. The final 18 minutes or so would subsequently bring two more goals for the Asprays. 

1-1...

Williams, this time not needing his trampette to leap from whilst taking a disputed free-kick from 25 yards, simply drove the ball towards the centre of goal and his whipped shot dipped, beating Binks’ arching dive and entered the net via the underside of the crossbar for a spectacular strike.

2-1...

It was inevitable too that a wing-delivery would bring a goal for either McKenzie, Robinson or Miles and just like the previous week against South Normanton, it proved to be Miles, whose close range thumper beat Binks all ends up. In truth though, Miles should never have been allowed to get in a header from so close, as McGrady’s right-booted, left-flank centre curled inwards. 

3-1...

Thus Quorn were dumped from the FA Vase but Chapman and Meikle had kept working, as had full-backs Henchcliffe and effective skipper Aaron Stringfellow. Hart, Reid and Brothwell had been poorly served in all honesty though and it was interesting that Quorn had named just three substitutes, whereas the Asprays had listed seven…

McKenzie certainly added some power to the home attack, Singh was always skitting about, causing marking problems for the guests, Perks was physical in the trenches, Carlo Franco was his usual exuberant self and Williams was influential from the left-back position. However, Armstrong was the fulcrum and McGrady the catalyst to a hard fought, if thoroughly deserved Sporting Khalsa victory…

I was forced to eat a samosa before the match by the excellent Khalsa staff and gods, it was tasty, so the other two I was given to take away were eagerly munched in my house later that evening…

I endured another bad journey to Noose Lane (an hour for 30 miles) and another much easier trip back… Any chance of moving the stadium? 

TEAMS:

SPORTING KHALSA:

SAM ARNOLD, CARLO FRANCO, SEAN WILLIAMS, LEON MILES, TESFA ROBINSON (CAPT), LIAM ARMSTRONG, MENSAH KINCH, MIKE PERKS, JAY HOLDCROFT, GAZ SINGH, JAMES McGRADY.

SUBS:

JOSH McKENZIE, MARVIN NISBETT, MARK SMITH, ALEX PERRY, GEORGE TAYLOR, MYKEL BECKLEY, KANE LEWIS. 

QUORN:

ADAM BINKS, JACK HENCHCLIFFE, AARON STRINGFELLOW (CAPT), LEAVI OSHUNGBURE, DAN CHAPMAN, DEON MEIKLE, RACKEEM REID, NATHAN DALE, JOE BROTHWELL, STEVE HART, RICH WHYMAN.

SUBS:

TAWANDA MANGONDOZA, MICAH JEBBISON, ARJUN HUNDALL.