FC WICKHAMFORD 3-0 BRETFORTON O.B.: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Wicks Take Title With Convincing Win Over Bret…

CHAMPIONS...

FC Wickhamford 3-0 Bretforton O.B.

Despite Claverdon’s 1-3 victory at Feckenham Reserves, an early goal by FC Wickhamford skipper Louis Brown settled any nerves his team may have experienced and paved the way to a convincing victory over local rivals Bretforton Old Boys and thus the acquisition of the Aquaid Division 1 league title. Fair play to Bret though, for they fought hard throughout the match, despite rarely troubling the home rearguard. The only save Luis Sone was forced to make was actually a good one, from a free-kick by Sam Beddoes but otherwise Wicks were in control and were denied a greater margin of victory by Bret ‘keeper Josh Mann and also some profligate finishing.

CROWDED TOSSING AREA...

There was unbridled joy at the conclusion of what proved to be an interesting encounter, although two dismissals, both of the sinners wearing 14, oddly, left a slightly sour note to the contest too. The most laudable moment was the applause offered to Wicks as they left the pitch by Bret’s Beddoes, Adam Stanley and another guy, who might be the secretary (?) which they didn’t need to do… Impressed, guys. 

GREAT GESTURE...

The pitch often seems rather akin to a ruffled up green carpet, or a series of speed bumps preventing players from sprinting touchline to touchline but in truth the contestants did their best to pass the ball on it for the majority of however many minutes the referee played, for there were lengthy stoppages for the administering of the two dismissals and sundry cautions…

TROUBLE ENSUES...

LOOKING AT THE TROUBLE...

That early goal for Wicks had come from a disputed free-kick, conceded by the tigerish JD Cole, who was industrious throughout the match and when Will Aspey’s set-piece delivery dropped towards Brown, Bret thought that the ball had maybe bounced down from his elbow area but the midfielder turned and almost scooped the ball, like he was playing soft-sand beach soccer and lifted it over the helpless Mann. The ball dropped in slow motion just beneath the left angle of crossbar and upright and the lead had been obtained.

1-0: BROWN (8)...

Sean Cooke must have been cursing the pitch though, for earlier, he had fastened onto a Nathan Tomkotowicz pass, flicked the ball over Mann at 18 yards and chased towards the left stick to convert. However, he couldn’t get the ball under control and Mann and defenders got back, forcing Cooke along the 6 yard line but instead of shooting anyway, he tried to set up James Schembri, but failed…  

HMM...

Tomkotowicz shot too high and headed too high, Joel Haycock nodded too high also although an offside flag was waving, then he received a smart assist by Schembri but from inside-right fired his low shot wide of the far post. Brown headed an Aspey cross to Mann but really, the danger to Bret was Mike Jennings, who not only netted goal two but received a fine pass from Cooke and drove a dangerous centre across the 6 yard box then forced Mann to palm a 25 yard effort over the horizontal pole. His goal was scored at the third attempt…

NO TIME FOR SLACKING, MR BROWN...

A free-kick had been awarded to Wicks at inside-right, 25 yards out and Jennings saw his left-footer strike Bret’s defensive wall, the rebound from which fell again to the forward. He hammered a second left-footer but this one was deflected towards the right side of the 18 yard box towards his unfavoured right boot. However, he rifled a low 12 yard angled effort into the far corner of the net to double the FCW lead.

2-0: JENNINGS (THIRD FROM LEFT...)

Despite Cole’s all-action performance and Beddoes’ total involvement, one has to praise Bret’s Stanley, whose efforts from left-back were impressive and if there was one player who did not deserve to play on the losing team, it was him… The only shot made by Bret before the break was a 23 yard free-kick by Beddoes, for which Sone dived low and left, turning it away for a right-side corner.

MARSHALL-ING THE GOAL...

Steve Edghill’s ensuing flag-kick was jumped for by Sone, looking into the sun and his gloves only knocked the ball upwards, dangerously close to his goal-line but Sam Penfold nodded it clear before the ‘keeper needed to deal with the issue. I believe Edghill was cautioned during the opening period…

HANG ON A MINUTE... IS SCHEMBRI SMILING?

I had received a message from a Claverdon player asking how the game was going but only saw it at the interval, so I replied that Wicks led 2-0 which probably served to sour things for his team.

Certainly Brown, Tomkotowicz and Cooke had worked hard for the hosts in midfield and Jennings was often a threat down the left-flank but the dangerous Bret forward Tom Dixon had lacked real service and even when he ran at Wicks’ defender Jack Milward, the midfield support of Brown or Tomkotowicz was generally there to crowd the Bret striker.

DIXON (9): NO REAL OPENINGS...

During the second period Bret only managed a free-kick wide of the left upright from a good position, 19 yards out by Beddoes, plus wayward efforts by Edghill and replacement Aidan Booth. Cole was cautioned and of course Mani Singh was dismissed for a late challenge, after he had previously been whacked by Aspey, which had resulted in the Wicks’ left-back’s dismissal too.

Jennings was again the main Wicks’ threat, for he took a Tomkotowicz pass and shot against Mann’s legs near the left byeline, had a drive from inside-left palmed away by the goalie and finally drove a free-kick into Bret’s defensive wall which rebounded downtown, from where Brown smacked a fine first-timer only just past the right angle of upright and crossbar. Brown also planted a header off target.

MANI DOWN...

Haycock shot too high from a decent position at inside-right, then substitute Louis Sutton was freed centrally by Tomkotowicz but with the rapid Stanley having almost caught him, Sutton shot from 20 yards and missed the target to the right. He was also set up at inside-left, 18 yards out by Jennings but his outside-of-right-boot shot struck the inside of the right stick, only for Robbie Sone to latch onto the rebound and shoot from close range but Mann reacted superbly to dive down and save with a strong right hand. Penfold was close with a very late header too but by then, Wicks were coasting…

Tomkotowicz had already seen a shot palmed down by Mann but when the strong Bret defender Morgan Ballinger clashed with Brown and conceded a late penalty, Tomkotowicz stepped forth to shoot low into the left corner of the net and complete the scoring…

3-0: TOMKOTOWICZ...

Brown led his team with decent passing, strong tackling, good heading and of course that all important opening goal. Cooke sparked now and then, Tomkotowicz was always noticeable with his dominant play, and a word for Schembri who was not on the scoresheet, nor did he threaten to convert on the day but his link-play with others was certainly worthy of mention. I believe that Brown was booked (sorry if that is incorrect but it was tough to evaluate what the referee was signalling sometimes), indeed, Ben Bearcroft was shown Aspey’s red card at first but he stayed on the pitch rooted to his furrow, until the real culprit walked away with head hung. Bearcroft was subsequently yellow-carded late in the encounter…

ANTICIPATING BUBBLY SHAMPOO...

WHAT BROWN WANTED SO MUCH...

Bret replacement Owen Horne impressed with several rushes but his introduction maybe came too late to affect the scoreline…

THE LADS SETTLE DOWN FOR A PHOTO...

Congratulations to FC Wickhamford…

POSING FOR THEIR IMAGE...

TEAMS:

TROPHY CLOSE-UP...

FC WICKHAMFORD:

LUIS SONE, JACK MILWARD, WILL ASPEY, NATHAN TOMKOTOWICZ, SAM PENFOLD, BEN BEARCROFT, LOUIS BROWN (CAPT), SEAN COOKE, JAMES SCHEMBRI, JOEL HAYCOCK, MIKE JENNINGS.

SUBS:

JOSH GREAVES, HARRY NAYLOR, ROBBIE SONE, LOUIS SUTTON, JOE NISHIGAKI.

BRETFORTON O.B.:

JOSH MANN, CALLUM MARSHALL, ADAM STANLEY, SAM BEDDOES, IAN UNWIN (CAPT), MORGAN BALLINGER, JD COLE,  STEVE EDGHILL, TOM DIXON, MANI SINGH, MAX TARRY.

SUBS:

OWEN HORNE, AIDAN BOOTH, HARRISON MIDDLETON, JOE KEYTE.