KENILWORTH SPORTING 0-4 NUNEATON GRIFF: THE MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

 Decent Workout For Kenilworth & Griff On A Sultry Afternoon…

Kenilworth Sporting 0-4 Nuneaton Griff

Several young players from the newly formed Kenilworth outfit were missing due to the call of summer cricket but that didn’t detract from a busy, often enterprising performance by Sporting, who were well served by Ascroft, Kennedy, Obeng and Steer in particular. Other players worked damned hard too but I have only a few names to work with, which makes the report more awkward to write. Thanks however to Griff for providing their names and numbers by hook or by crook, although I was only able to access them post-game. Hence the match commentary uses numbers, not names, reminding me of an old TV series called The Prisoner, in which Patrick McGoohan played the part of Number 6… Yeah, OK, I’m old…

THE KICK-OFF...

Griff were generally but understandably stronger physically and in bulk than their hosts but the Kenmen began boisterously, without really testing visiting ‘keeper Salisbury (please don’t tell me his nickname is Novichok?) The lads were speedy though, although their one mature player, striker Wilson, headed over the target, saw a low drive blocked and failed to get his head to an Ascroft centre during the first period. Salisbury got himself into a bit of a muddle on one occasion but Steer could only manage to steer his effort at goal off target. A wild shot by Hall on the half-time whistle was the final offensive foray by Sporting before the break but certainly Griff were more dominant.

Joe Miles scored three times for the guests, after an over-shoulder effort had dropped too high from an acute angle early on. He opened the scoring when an assist from Martin saw him control the ball smartly and his low shot deflected slightly off Kenman 4 before rolling past goalie Gaut into the right corner of the net. 

MILES HAS SCORED FOR 0-1...

Striker Hewitt had already threatened with an eager and typical run to the right byeline and defender Millerchip nearly got in a shot from a melee situation, 12 yards out. Influential midfielder Knight ballooned an effort too high, Colley sliced two left-booters wide but late in the half he connected well with a shot and Gaut did very well to fall left and hang onto the ball, for he must have been unsighted by a copse of legs.

GRIFF ATTACKING...

MILES BEING MARKED...

Miles scored all three goals from metres, not as his surname suggests, miles, out and his second displayed similarities to his first. This time he received a pass from Hewitt after some foraging on the left by Knight. Miles shot unerringly into goal close to the right upright, although the Kenilworth marking was a little lax, in truth. The half completed, Sporting grabbed some shade, whilst Griff sought the quarantine of their changing room, to experience social non-distancing for ten minutes or so…

0-2: MILES AGAIN...

Sporting had begun the match well but once Griff worked their way into the encounter, their strength had been telling and soon after the replacement-plagued recess, a third goal was conceded by the Kenmen. A right-side corner was flicked, glanced and angled from the near post by Miles and the ball flew past Gaut before he could react. 

MILES PONDERS HIS HAT-TRICK...

0-3 NOW...

The hosts struggled in attack to be honest and only Obeng managed to cause any real consternation for Nuneaton's defence with some rushes and a couple of headers from virtually on the bye-line, in his attempts to keep the ball in play. Ascroft fired a fine free-kick against the right angle of crossbeam and vertical pole, whilst Hall drove another effort off target. Strangely, Ascroft was actually cautioned, seemingly for a barge late on but the official was maybe somewhat over-officious in the ‘friendly game’ circumstances, surely…   

MILLERCHIP & WILSON...

CHANCE MISSED BY KENILWORTH...

Griff added a fourth goal when Walters crossed from the left flank, Kenilworth’s defender 12 swung a boot but sliced the ball on and there was the totally isolated and socially distancing Collins to side-foot the ball easily past a surprised and dismayed Gaut. Kenman 12 will likely point to the tape on his boot he requested before the game started as a sound reason for the slice… (Am I helping here?)

COLLINS LOOKS PLEASED...

...& IT'S 0-4 TO GRIFF...

Later, Colley did well to cut inside from the left and from almost on the byeline, he rapped a low shot with the outside of his left boot, which I reckon struck Gaut, then Griff missed twice from right-side assists. Short could get no real purchase from Collins’ pass and then the active McEwan blazed Collins’ next pass wildly over the target. Two more opportunities arrived from low right-byeline centres in the latter stages for Nuneaton too, when first Walters nudged a near post effort wide and secondly, when McEwan’s more accurate rising drive was smartly tipped over the crossbar by the leaping Gaut. 

ASCROFT IS CAUTIONED...

...BUT IT'S A 'FRIENDLY', REF...

It had been hot for the players, although the pitch, despite being naturally hard, seemed in a lot better condition than others I’ve seen at this time in a dry summer. Lots for the coaches to ponder after the game then I’m sure, but it was just a pleasure to watch two teams mostly attempt to pass the ball and create, rather than lump kicks forward for chasers to chase and defenders to turn and deal with.

Certainly Miles took his goals well enough and partner Hewitt was a willing worker, whilst both full-backs, Martin and Rock were apt to race forth in support of their offensive players. Knight was strong in midfield during his time in play but in truth, Millerchip and skipper Aston were not too troubled throughout.

Kennedy was effective in the Sporting defence but Ascroft was very involved and perhaps deserved to score the goal which the goal-frame denied him. 

Thanks to both clubs for the opportunity to cover the match and I hope both teams have strong seasons ahead…    

(Nuneaton’s squad was: Salisbury, Martin, Lock, Aston, Millerchip, Bell, Williams, Knight, Hewitt, Miles, Colley, Wilkinson, Clancy, Short, Collins, Walters, McEwan, L Thompson, Greenway.

Kenilworth fielded Gaut, Kennedy, Ascroft, Wilson, Steer, Obeng and Hall, but the others remain unknown…)