AFC BINLEY 2-0 AFC COVENTRY: INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT OF A COVENTRY ALLIANCE BERMUDA CUP GROUP GAME...

 Binley Find A Way Past Plucky AFC Coventry…

AFC Binley 2-0 AFC Coventry

(Coventry Alliance Bermuda Cup, Group Stage…)

This game proved to be a lively encounter between two teams which finished the curtailed season in second place in their respective leagues. Binley had played in Coventry Alliance 1 and Coventry in Alliance 2 but during this encounter there was little to choose between the teams in many ways, although it has to be said that despite the promise, teamwork and passing displayed by Coventry, Binley squandered some fine opportunities, as skipper Andy Godfrey, midfielder Karl Bell and the ever so effective Danny Lucas all missed from very close range and they are probably still wondering how they managed to…

Coventry were late arriving for the 2.15pm kick-off and there was no sign of them by around 2.10 at the Alan Higgs Centre. The first player to enter The Cage was striker Tobias Williams, who asked me if I had a rubber band he could use to restrict his hair during the game… Not been asked that before… Another guy pointed out the manager to me, apparently the one who was “…smoking behind the fence…” and so I walked over to ask about his players’ names and numbers.  However, another one of the Coventry contingent was brilliant, for he listed the names and numbers of the players for me to use on the commentary, albeit their forenames, which I was handed ten minutes into the action…

I used those forenames during the match but I have discovered the full names for use on my blog, although I do apologise for any identities I have made errors with… 

THE KICK-OFF...

So, it was a short warm-up for the visitors but you wouldn’t have thought it, for they settled into their football first and really, despite a string of free-kicks awarded to Binley by the referee, who was not over-appreciated by the Coventry contingent, the hosts found it tough to get going. However, Binley fashioned and then wasted a few first-half chances, whilst Coventry’s industry and passing failed to penetrate the home defence much and goalie Ash Riley was only really forced to make two or three manageable catches.

Visiting ‘keeper Prian Patel was confident and his handling was decent enough but he must also have been thanking his skipper Harjeet Singh and Gurdeep Kandola in centre defence for their hard work, along with full-backs Gurpreet Singh and Harminder Gill. However, the gloveman’s best right-hand man was the profligacy of Binley’s players, who somehow managed to miss the target twice from beneath it in the opening period and then when one free-kick looked certain to be curling into the net, a Binley player intercepted it and deflected it wide. Two more glaring misses in the second period kept Coventry in with a chance of not losing but Brian Ndlovu broke clear and broke hearts too by adding to Danny Lucas’ fortunate earlier strike to settle the issue late on.   

CALLUM WARD (10): FINE GAME FOR COVENTRY...

Certainly Williams went close twice for Coventry, being denied by Riley, then by the frame of the goal but on chances alone, Binley deserved to win the game. Two Coventry players were cautioned, rightly: Gill for a bad foul on Ndlovu and Luke Glover for a blatant hauling back of Tyler Morgan. In the aftermath of the second booking, the Coventry manager wanted to discuss the issue with the official, earning himself a yellow card too… 

A CAUTIONARY TALE...

Coventry truly only threatened when Roantree headed too high from a Gill corner, then when Gosal’s downward header bounced rather fortunately straight into Riley’s midriff and when the ‘keeper plunged to catch a fair effort from Gurpreet Singh, although he had pushed aside a drive from distance in the opening exchanges too.

Both home strikers had goals chalked off, Ndlovu for offside and Morgan because the ball had previously gone over the right touchline for a throw to Coventry. Lucas curled one free-kick wide, before team-mate Jaydon Bickley deflected a fine free-kick by the midfielder off target when it looked like being on target… Lucas stared at the heavens but The Messiah (Brian Ndlovu) was in the penalty-box, not in the celestial regions above…

"LET US ALL ROLL ON THE GROUND LIKE THE MESSIAH..."

The physical Karl Bell thrust a header from Godfrey’s free-kick over the crossbar from a few yards, the enigmatic Ryan Makwenje cut in from the right and saw his drive deflected by a defender but the miss of the half came from Binley skipper Andy Godfrey. Morgan’s back-header looped over Patel and in a rush at the left post, Godfrey reached the ball first, a yard out but somehow whacked it over, rather than under the horizontal log. Amazing…

A BRIDE HAS JUST THROWN HER BOUQUET FOR SOME LUCKY BLOKE TO CATCH...

Beyond the short recess, as the temperature dropped but the rain kept off, the hosts continued to scorn opportunities. Ndlovu moved onto a fine Makwenje pass but was crowded out by defenders, then Morgan got clear, rounded Patel but had veered to the bye-line, from whence he fed Bell. The midfielder squared to the well placed Ndlovu but his low 6 yard effort was cleared from the goal-line by an aware defender. The rebound finally fell to Lucas, 22 yards out but his decent strike was deflected for a corner…

It was a left-wing flag-kick by Godfrey which brought the opening goal but there was good fortune about it. Patel was unable to reach the delivery and somehow Lucas rapped in a low shot from 7 yards which flew across towards the left upright and cannoned into the net, I think via a defender’s boot. Lucas soon missed a better chance from closer in when another Godfrey corner dropped onto his right boot in front of a gaping goal but the ball rattled wide of the left stick. Cue Lucas looking to the heavens again but The Messiah was several metres to his left instead…

"YEAH, I SCORED BUT I SO NEED A PEE..."

A Bell header was stopped by Gosal near the goal-line, a couple of weak Morgan headers went astray, Patel palmed a 25 yard drive by Godfrey out for another corner but Ndlovu finally settled the outcome of the match with a second Binley goal.

He raced away onto Bickley’s long pass, after Riley had prevented an equaliser at the opposite end, by blocking Williams’ shot at his right pole. Shrugging off the attentions of Gosal, The Messiah ran on to beat the goalkeeper smartly.

EXCITING GOAL CELEBRATION 1...

EXCITING GOAL CELEBRATION 2...

Apart from the above Williams shot, the lively and speedy Badru Rajab forced a low save by Riley, who also advanced to his right twice to deny replacement Rajan Mawi. Williams struck the face of the crossbar too, from 8 yards, inside-right channel and Gill forced a pat-down save from the custodian. Subsequently though, the Coventry offense didn’t do enough, despite the promptings of Rajab, Glover and especially Ward, who regularly struck a dead ball with fine timing.

RICH ROANTREE HELPS THE WEEPING MESSIAH TO HIS FEET...

Imran Bhayat worked hard for the guests too, but skipper Gosal pushed Ward hard to be the Coventry MVP, although the team ethic had to be applauded. Binley were served well by Lucas due to his tackling, his passing, his unending effort and his goal threat from midfield. He was supported ably by the powerful Bell but the defence, marshalled by Seb Kassar, alongside Steven Young, plus full-backs Godfrey and George Higginson did their jobs well enough. Ndlovu was the main danger, supported by the speedy Makwenje, whose pace wasn’t always matched by his end pass, or delivery. Riley made saves at crucial times, especially the one from the energetic Williams, which led to goal two for the hosts and it was good to see some gymnastics between the sticks…

TOBIAS WILLIAMS: GREAT CHARACTER...

A win for Binley, although Coventry made them work hard for it with some decent passing and support play. 

Thanks to both clubs for the help in putting names to numbers…

MORGAN & NDLOVU AWAIT A THROW...

Number 4 for Coventry was Cassius but I can’t find his surname. Please don’t tell me it’s Clay, or am I boxing too clever?

SQUADS:

AFC BINLEY:

ASH RILEY, GEORGE HIGGINSON, ANDY GODFREY (CAPT), KARL BELL, SEB KASSAR, STEVEN YOUNG, JAYDON BICKLEY, DANNY LUCAS, TYLER MORGAN, RYAN MAKWENJE, BRIAN 'THE MESSIAH’ NDLOVU…

SUBS:

LEON HIGGS, ARRON LAMING, MTSHUMAYELI NCUBE, KENROY DENNISUR, NATHAN LEY.

AFC COVENTRY:

PRIAN PATEL, GURPREET SINGH, HARMINDER GILL, RICHARD ROANTREE, LUKE GLOVER, TOBIAS WILLIAMS, CALLUM WARD, IMRAN BHAYAT, HARJEET GOSAL (CAPT), GURDEEP KANDOLA, BADRU RAJAB.

SUBS:

CASSIUS, SHAHINOOR RAZAK, RAJAN MAWI.