Romans Defeated By Churchmen…
Alcester Town 2-3 Alvechurch FC
(Pre-season game…)
The Overall Impression:
Fair play to ‘Church, who stepped in to replace Alcester’s original opponents just prior to the week-end. The hosts worked hard against their higher ranked visitors and only lost by the odd goal in five but in truth, ‘Church might have won more handsomely.
The contest was well fought but Alvechurch passed the ball smartly on many occasions and their general quickness and accuracy was something that their hosts will likely want to aspire to during their season in the MFL 2 Division. Certainly the rather tall Dylan Barkers proved to be a skilful ball player for the visitors, as did the rather less than tall Charlie Dowd, who was a total pain to the home defence, in which skipper Lewis Clarke played a huge role in keeping the score down. ‘Church forwards Liam Lockett, to whom I chatted in the car-park after the game and Luke Yates were sprightly on offense and their movement often stretched the Roman defenders.
However, with skipper Tom Turton a powerhouse in midfield and the indefatigable Dave Bellis in the Sergio Busquets type of role, finding ridiculous space and passing the ball with integrity, it was tough for the Romans to acquire and then maintain any periods of possession. Umit Eminoglu displayed flashes of his ability in the Town midfield, supported by the buzzing Owen Ward and in fact, Eminoglu scored a goal too, whilst Jeremie Agholor claimed an assist and made several decent sorties on the right flank but otherwise it was an industrious and promising Alcester performance against a pretty decent looking Alvechurch.
Late on, replacement Fin Thorndike, who had nabbed the third ‘Church goal with his first touch of the ball after the interval, made a few electrifying runs and new striker Ant Dwyer was close to scoring a couple of times but despite the close scoreline, the victory was fairly comfortable for Ian Long’s men. Home manager Matt Seeley would have been pleased with his Legionaries though, who provided enough evidence to suggest that his team might be a force in the MFL 2 this season.
The First Period:
Dowd had several attempts at goal for the guests, seeing two low efforts deflected for corners, firing once at home goalie Gabriel Bajrami and having a close range stab smothered by the ‘keeper, after Yates’ shot had been diverted by the challenge of Clarke. Right-back Brad Phillips shot at Bajrami from downtown, Turton fired low and wide and Barkers sliced one effort well off target, following a neat passing movement.
Yates forced a near post smother for a corner by the busy Bajrami, who had just managed to tip aside a nasty dipping centre by Phillips but the two goals nabbed by ‘Church before the break came from Ash Carter and the deserving Dowd.
A left-wing flag-kick found its way to Carter, who smashed a rising drive high into the net from 15 yards to opening the scoring, before home defender Cian Davies was robbed by Barkers, who passed the ball from the left to Dowd, who set his feet well before rapping a low shot past the helpless Bajrami, from about 16 yards.
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| CARTER IS CONGRATULATED... |
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| DOWD HAS SCORED... |
The hosts managed little offense but one fine Eminoglu run and centre from the left saw Arthur Baldeh just fail to get in a telling near post touch. Then a decent pass by Eminoglu freed Agholor on the left-wing but his byeline delivery flew too high, although subsequently, a goal did come for the Romans, from a right-side cross by Davies.
Unfortunately for Carter, he slid the centre into his own net at the near post, with goalie Ollie Taylor looking stunned…
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| OWN-GOAL BY CARTER... |
The Second Period:
The ‘Church substitutes in attack were certainly lively and in the opening moments of the half, an error by home defender Dre Edwards handed Thorndike a chance to lift a neat goal over the advancing, falling Bajrami with his first touch of the ball.
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| NEAT FINISH BY THORNDIKE... |
The number 12 shot too high, Ant Dwyer first lobbed a shot too high then clipped a superb effort from 18 yards against the underside of the crossbar, after the home marking had gone awry. A brilliant Thorndike run into a crowded 18 yard box ended with a Dwyer shot being superbly blocked by either Clarke, or Edwards, or perhaps both… Thorndike wasted a good chance with a shot too high, then forced Bajrami into a late diving save, before Dowd drove another effort wide.
The Romans netted through Eminoglu, who was fed by an assist from Agholor and his unerring left footer beat replacement ‘Church goalie Matt Sargeant and nestled in the right corner of the net from 16 yards.
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| EMINOGLU DESERVED HIS GOAL... |
The only other Roman goal attempt was by substitute Steve Wadaji, whose effort flew wide from 19 yards, following smart work by Eminoglu.
Thanks to Matt Seeley for providing me with the names of most of his players and to a fan of Alvechurch who offered me most of the visiting identities as half-time approached…
THE SQUADS, AS FAR AS I COULD GATHER!
ALCESTER TOWN:
GABRIEL BAJRAMI, CIAN DAVIES, RYAN FAULKNER, LEWIS CLARKE (CAPT), ANDRE EDWARDS, JOE DRAKE-CERVANTES, JEREMIE AGHOLOR, OWEN WARD, DAN ELWELL, UMIT EMINOGLU, ARTHUR BALDEH, STEVE WADAJI.
ALSO:
HARRY ?, MIKE ?, GEORGE ?, JAKE ANDREWS, STEVE ?, SAM ARCHER…
ALVECHURCH FC:
OLLIE TAYLOR, BRAD PHILLIPS, SYRUS WARREN-PAUL, TOM TURTON (CAPT), JOE HULL, ASH CARTER, DAVE BELLIS, DYLAN BARKERS, LIAM LOCKETT, CHARLIE DOWD, LUKE YATES, FIN THORNDIKE, ETHAN SEPHTON, JAMIE WILLETTS, ANT DWYER, MATT SARGEANT & THE NUMBER 12!
