LYE TOWN 2-0 HIGHGATE UNITED: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Justice Done, As Campbell Sparks Lye Into Life…

Lye Town 2-0 Highgate United

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

Certainly ‘Gate were disappointing, missing midfield anchor Trev Edwards and forward Jack Storer who were both suspended but in truth, despite some possession early in the game and then late on when chasing an equaliser, the visitors lacked both creativity and penetration. 

Home ‘keeper Archie Brooks was troubled a few times before the recess but not at all afterwards, when his defenders, Adam Meacham, Ryan Bridgewater and Jack Pearlman were competent in repelling United’s often timid approach play. However, before Town’s second goal in the final moments, ‘Gate’s skipper Lee Chilton bundled a chance wide from a decent cross by replacement Liam Mulvey, which the guests would rue…

WEST (4) IS SO FAST, HE'S A BLUR...

The opening period was untidy, mistake riddled and gloomy to witness from the Grassy Bank End at Lye’s ground. The hosts managed a couple of decent shots, one of which was smartly saved by Brad Catlow, the other from Ben Billingham, crashed into the side-netting but the visitors’ shooting was too often wayward, although they nearly scored from one corner. Lye were offered a number of corners and free-kicks but they were unable to capitalise upon them.

CAMPBELL: OPENED THE SCORING FOR THE FLYERS...

After the break for ale and pies, the Flyers looked more comfortable. I had moved from the Grassy Bank to film from the cricket square, where both ends were more clearly defined for my camera. But still ‘Gate struggled and Catlow made a couple of good saves to retain parity, until he was unable to hold onto a low Ben Billingham free-kick shot and game-winning substitute Justice Campbell pounced to open the scoring.

OWUSU-NEPAUL: NABBED THE CLINCHING SECOND GOAL...

Catlow then raced from goal to try to get to a cross but was badly hurt when he crashed into a couple of innocent players. He was replaced by Gabriel Bajrami, who was unable to do much about goal two, which saw Campbell’s low shot deflect slightly off Brian Smikle’s boot and possibly off the wrong-footed goalie’s left foot too, for the ever alert and busy Jaden Owusu-Nepaul to shovel over the goal-line.

CATLOW LIES HURT...

Brad Catlow’s plunges…

The United goalie made plunges, the last of which left him badly hurt but the previous ones had resulted in three fine saves and one which led to the opening Lye goal. He plunged left to beat out a decent early drive by rapid Town forward Harvey Cartwright then made two second-half plunges in succession, one to keep out a Meacham header and a subsequent hard Tye drive from 12 yards.

He then plunged right to save a tough Billingham free-kick shot from downtown but couldn’t prevent the hovering Campbell from converting rather sweetly into the top left corner of the net from a few yards out.

CAMPBELL SHOOTS IN...

...& IT'S 1-0 TO LYE...

I wish Catlow well in his recovery from the injury sustained… 

Tye & die-hard Billingham…

FRUSTRATION AT THE REFEREE'S DECISIONS AGAINST THE 'GATE WAS REGULAR AFTER THE BREAK, ALTHOUGH BILLINGHAM (RIGHT) HAS A SMILE...

These two guys are symptomatic of how Lye play: solid, mostly dependable and like army troop leaders who inspire others to follow. Pearlman and Bridgewater were strong performers on the night, with Peter Taylor and Oli West dropping in to help smother ‘Gate’s stumbling, if insistent late attacks.

THE FREE-KICK BEFORE THE FIRST GOAL...

Connor Doyle… 

It proved a frustrating first period for the United wide-player, first rounding home goalie Brooks on the left side of the penalty-box but then firing his angled shot high and wide. Three more times he drove well off target but one low delivery across the 18 yard box at least forced Brooks to nudge it with his glove-tips, although the ball wasn’t going into goal anyway and West dragged it to safety.

Connor Mooney and Brad Maslen-Jones did manage shots on target however, albeit simple ones for the Lye gloveman to save and central striker Ryan Boothe dragged one effort well wide, although Chilton did attempt to get onto it but in vain.

CAUTION FOR MOONEY...

Brooks did fumble once and Pearlman helped out in front of goal but the closest the guests came to scoring was from a corner. Batchelor’s header was eased away by Taylor for another flag-kick though. This brought the second most amusing moment of the evening, after one of the linesmen had warmed up in a black vest. Yes, really… As the second corner came over, Brooks shoved team-mate Pearlman over like in a silent slapstick movie before punching the ball out to Doyle, whose volley from 19 yards was inaccurate.

1ST HALF CORNER FOR 'GATE...

All of that action by ‘Gate’s offense was before the interval…

Lee Chilton…

The United skipper had a quiet game really, missing late on, as described above and slicing another effort well off target. It did seem that maybe, had he been on the ball more often, a different approach might have aided his team’s cause. 

He suffered an injury in the closing stages too…

Jaden Owusu-Nepaul & Justice Campbell…

Owusu-Nepaul was a forager all evening in a real battle with Batchelor and Aaron Brown but in all fairness the striker kept at it and earned his reward in the dying embers of 6 added minutes. Campbell, whose step-overs seemed like he was rehearsing for an audition for a part in a song and dance musical extravaganza, lifted his knees as he bore down on the United penalty-area. 

GOAL 2 BY OWUSU-NEPAUL...

His ensuing low shot deflected off Smikle’s boot, possibly too off Bajrami’s foot, whose left leg was stretched out, like an ice-hockey goal-minder, and the ball rolled towards the goal-line, where both Dan Danks and Owusu-Nepaul slid in to get a touch on it. The striker got there just before substitute Danks to crown his evening.

NOBODY LIKES LYE, SO THEY LIKE THEMSELVES...

Final words…

Both Tye and Mooney were cautioned but Batchelor was fortunate not to be booked for his complaints and dissent about free-kicks given against his team after they went behind, his exasperation actually revealing superb commitment to Highgate. More than some, it appeared… I liked replacement Kyle Hayden’s contribution, however.

TYE IS ABOUT TO BE CAUTIONED...

Lye deserved the victory and have risen to third place in the league. I am booked to see them again on 25th September in their FA Vase tie at AFC Bridgnorth, a ground I know well…

...AND BOWS AND SCRAPES IN APOLOGY...

The ‘Gate? I’ll watch again when the trusted Trev Edwards isn’t suspended and hopefully they will be able to shake off this performance.

Thing is, you have to do it on a gloomy evening in Lye…

TEAMS:

LYE TOWN:

ARCHIE BROOKS, HAROON KASSIM, ADAM MEACHAM, OLI WEST, RYAN BRIDGEWATER, JACK PEARLMAN, HARVEY CARTWRIGHT, PETER TAYLOR, JADEN OWUSU-NEPAUL, BEN BILLINGHAM,  SAM TYE (CAPT).

SUBS:

DAN DANKS, JOE LAWLEY, CALLUM MCFARLANE, JUSTICE CAMPBELL, BEKIR HALIL.

HIGHGATE UNITED:

BRAD CATLOW, KARTEL O’NEILL-MARTIN, CONNOR MOONEY, BRIAN SMIKLE, KYLE BATCHELOR, AARON BROWN, LEE CHILTON (CAPT), BRAD MASLEN-JONES, RYAN BOOTHE, ELLIS DEENEY, CONNOR DOYLE.

SUBS:

AON ABBAS, KYLE HAYDEN, LIAM MULVEY, BASSIT MANDEY, GABRIEL BAJRAMI.