BEWDLEY TOWN 3-1 MALVERN TOWN: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 A Decent Romp, Riverside At Ribbesford Meadows

Bewdley Town 3-1 Malvern Town

The Mowdog’s Thoughts…

Generally this was a clash to enjoy, for there were thrills, spills, four goals, and several cautions, albeit in a ‘friendly’ fixture and there were a number of key individual performances. In fact I saw the best ‘crossbar challenge’ shot ever, when two-goal home striker Josh Carpenter struck the crossbar on a goal-frame in the field behind the main pitch… A remarkable effort… 

Certainly the Malvern contingent were vociferous in their annoyance with the officiating, feeling that Bewdley’s Callum Allchurch had been leniently dealt with for some, er, robust tackling. However, the hosts would point to a near perfect thief vault by Malvern midfielder Joe Bates during the second period (both feet first whilst thrusting through the air…) and argue that a yellow card was more like forgiveness for his gymnastic ability. 

Whatever the truths, my words are independent and I must write what I saw and what I saw was a decent match between two aspiring teams. The Riversiders beat the Hillsiders but in all honesty, only some fine goalkeeping by Joe Sidaway kept the visitors down to one goal, which came right at the end as a consolation for the industrious Matt Turner. He is a real battler of a centre-forward and always gives everything in games, so his strike was a reward.

Zac Kouroy-Yaanni (if that is incorrect, I apologise) was calm and effective alongside Dan Hadley in the home defence, whilst Laurie Morris and Steve Clarke were as combative as one would expect a pair of full-backs to be. Despite losing Adam Beardsmore to an injury early on, his replacement Ben Naptheme (again, apologies if that is incorrectly spelt) was a revelation and might have scored with a fine shot which stunned an upright.

Tom Smith was busy in midfield, alongside his efficient skipper Simon Rudd and strikers Luke Morris and Josh Carpenter were both speedy and prone to stretch the visiting defence, which made errors on the day. However, Allchurch deserves another mention, apart from that of his hard tackling, for on the ball he was often clever and elusive, with an ability to pick a smart but unhurried pass. He was good…

LUKE MORRIS: SPEEDY...

The guests seemed slightly out of sorts at times but Lewis Platt, who always gives his best, was in decent form at left-back although he was too often having to alert his colleagues to the fact that he was in space wide left and too regularly, he wasn’t served there. The Sauntsons, Jay and Adam, alongside James Timmins are a loud trio of substantial defensemen but somehow, the pace of the home forwards stretched them and heaped pressure upon them at times.

On offense, Malvern were certainly dangerous aerially and Adam Sauntson in particular went close to scoring on occasions, as did Turner and Joe Bates. It wasn’t to be for the Hillsiders though and in an eventful encounter, they simply came up short in the goals column… 

The goal attempts will be listed below in relation to each half…

1st half:

There was a little trouble for Malvern goalie Kieron Blackburn three times before the interval, actually losing the ball in the opening minute, although his defence snuffed out the lurking danger of Luke Morris. He also managed to flap at and shove behind for a corner an awkward volley from downtown by home skipper Simon Rudd. When he attempted to snuff out a pass by Tom Smith though and he lost the ball as Carpenter sniffed a chance, the ball ran loose to Luke Morris and he shot high into the empty net from 12 yards.

1-0...

The hosts’ Luke Morris dragged a shot from inside-right wide of the left upright and then played Carpenter into a similar position but his cross-shot was turned away smartly by the diving Blackburn. Tom Smith drove one effort too high from distance, following a corner (not quite a cracker then…) but in truth, Malvern looked the more likely crew to score before the recess.

Turner had shot against the outside of the left post from the right side of the penalty-box, which I was unable to capture on video, as the focus decided to malfunction as the attack was initiated. Apologies, Matt… He also got to a bouncing ball before Sidaway at 18 yards, nodded it past him and when he seemed sure to score, a superb covering tackle by Kouroy-Yaanni saved the day for the Riversiders. 

Sidaway reacted so well to tip a header by Adam Sauntson over his crossbar, then he was strong in the punch to clear two dangerous wing deliveries, before pushing away another Adam Sauntson header on his goal-line. A Curtis Smith shot was deflected off target, Chris Parker shot low and wide, Sidaway plunged left to save a low Bates free-kick and Adam Sauntson headed over the target. Although Curtis Smith fell inside the home penalty-box, following a ‘lean’ by Hadley, the referee declined to award a penalty.

Bewdley remained outside during the interval but Malvern retired to an enclosed space to sort a few things out, I’m sure…

2nd period...

However, after the break a Febery header was saved comfortably by Sidaway, before Naptheme blocked a Jay Sauntson clearance and found himself inside the 18 yard box and alone. He shot viciously and immediately from 16 yards but the ball crashed against the upper section of the right post in a spectacular piece of action. And then, an innocuous looking right side centre by the impressive Allchurch fell onto Carpenter’s head 17 yards out, yes, 17 yards… He nodded the ball goalwards and his effort went into the left side of the net, with Blackburn scrambling across his goal in vain.

2-0...

Malvern retaliated with a header by Turner to Sidaway, a blocked shot by Platt and a drive to the ‘keeper by Turner but after good play again by Allchurch, Luke Morris slashed a shot too high from an angle at the other end. However, home replacement left-back Jordan Graham, who did well in his cameo appearance, played a long pass forward into the inside-left zone and Carpenter fastened onto it, moving towards goal. He ran for the byline but with some folks expecting a low pass across goal for Luke Morris, Carpenter coolly slotted an angled shot past Blackburn and into the net for 3-0.

3-0...

As substitutes changed Bewdley’s line-up, Malvern battled on, although Naptheme had one shot saved then another deflected for a Bewdley corner, from which Hadley threatened with a header and Carpenter’s ensuing drive was deflected clear. Blackburn saved at Carpenter’s feet and replacement 14 forced a  low save from Blackburn, although Carpenter might have hoped for a pass to complete his hat-trick.

Malvern never stopped attacking though and Sidaway caught a Platt free-kick, then saved from Charlie Spain with his left boot, before Platt shot too high. Sidaway then denied Nathan Chowns-Higgs and Adam Sauntson glanced a Platt free-kick wide of the right stick. Late on, Bewdley survived a melee in which Sidaway made a smart low save from Liam Paddock, another shot by Parker was blocked by Hadley and finally substitute Spain sliced the third opportunity wide. 

Eventually though, Paddock fed Turner just outside the 18 yard box and the striker ran across towards the middle, then fired a low left-foot shot which, sadly for Sidaway, squirmed beneath him as he dived right. So, a goal for Turner and that was deserved for his contribution during the afternoon… 

3-1...

Final comments...

A good spectacle but subsequently, the goalkeeping of Sidaway saw the Riversiders hold on against the Hillsiders… 

Many thanks to Adrian from ‘Three In The River’ fame, who worked so hard to get hold of the players’ names and numbers! 

Bookings appeared to go to Febery, Bates and Platt of Malvern, plus Allchurch, Rudd and Hadley of Bewdley…

SQUADS:

BEWDLEY TOWN:

JOE SIDAWAY, STEVE CLARKE, LAURIE MORRIS, ZAC KOUROY-YAANNI, DAN HADLEY, ADAM BEARDSMORE, TOM SMITH, SIMON RUDD (CAPT), JOSH CARPENTER, LUKE MORRIS, CALLUM ALLCHURCH, BEN WORTHINGTON, JACK SHEPHERD, JORDAN GRAHAM, MATT KERBY, DECLAN BIBB, BEN NAPTHEME.

MALVERN TOWN:

KIERON BLACKBURN, CURTIS SMITH, LEWIS PLATT, ADAM SAUNTSON, JAY SAUNTSON, JAMES TIMMINS, JAMES FEBERY, CHRIS PARKER, MATT TURNER (CAPT), NATHAN CHOWNS-HIGGS, JOE BATES, LIAM PADDOCK, MORGAN SKIDMORE, CHARLIE SPAIN, CHRIS PINDER (GK).