KENILWORTH SPORTING 3-6 ALCESTER TOWN: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Eminoglu Steers Romans Past Plucky Sporting

Kenilworth Sporting 3-6 Alcester Town

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

The Romans were very good during the first period of this match, punishing their hosts on a regular basis and forging a 0-5 lead by the interval but fair play to Sporting, they certainly played much better following the recess and fought back to 3-5, before Umit Eminoglu sealed victory for the visitors with a goal on the counter-attack, following a strong tackle by Drew Ricketts.

THE TWO FIVES TOSS...

The Alcester attack was potent in the opening half, with Reece ‘Tug’ Hewitt and Dan Elwell combining dangerously with Eminoglu, so that the trio netted four of the first five goals. The other was a spectacular left-footer by midfielder Tez Morton, who would not have forgiven me had I not been able to capture his effort on film…

The weather conditions worsened during this Smedley Crooke cup-tie and filming was no easy task beneath the main grandstand’s roofing, which of course offered little backlighting from the floodlights. I did my best and I must apologise to Sporting’s two-goal forward David Gbehe if my pronunciation of his name was errant. Again, I did my best…

Alcester faded somewhat after the break, despite the industry and creativity of midfielder Owen Ward, which allowed a resurgence by the Kenilworth lads, so that Mason Platt, a nippy striker and Callum Mack, a pacy right-wingback, began to worry the Romans’ defence and cause ‘keeper Jack Hartopp some worrying moments. However, the guests killed the game off when Eminoglu got free but even then, Connor Mack headed over Hartopp into the Alcester net only for a linesman’s very wet flag to signal offside which was a surprise to most spectators although my video coverage is unable to clear up the debate.

Thanks to Sporting for writing out a team-list for me to use on the night although a few usual starters were rested, perhaps with Saturday’s home fixture v league leaders Fairfield Villa in mind…

TIERNEY & HEWITT...

Umit Eminoglu…

He began and ended the scoring but littered the match with some smart ball-control and passing, irritating the home defence enough for Cam Welch to hack the former Feckenham playmaker to the ground late on which earned the Kenilworth defender a caution. Two assists were secured by Eminoglu too, three, if you count being fouled for the penalty he scored from… 

My friend Jean Dakouri’s foot was the obstacle stumbled and fallen over by Eminoglu and the Roman rapped a good spot-kick high into the left side of the net to give his team an early lead.

Goal six stemmed from a challenge by Ricketts in his own half and his sliding clearance flew way upfield for Eminoglu to latch onto. He got between Joe Wright and Rhys Lyons then lifted the ball just over the falling body of home gloveman Ryan Woodward from 18 yards as he stumbled over the advancing ‘keeper.

Eminoglu also saw a first-half shot saved by Woodward’s legs.

Mason Platt…

A speedy, enthusiastic forward who was unfortunate not to score goal two for his team, for he had picked up a smart back-heel by Gbehe and driven in a low shot which Hartopp’s legs had blocked. Platt’s rebound effort was well stopped by the prostrate Hartopp’s arm but on hand was replacement Connor Mack to convert at the left upright.

Platt was also fed in the second-half by the busy Callum Maspers but the striker’s effort struck the legs of Hartopp and was hacked clear by Mike Jennings who played steadily at left-back for The Romans.

DAKOURI & MORTON...

David Gbehe…

A fine work ethic was displayed by the lively forward, even when his team was 0-5 behind and he was the one who scored his team’s first goal, picking up  a low cross by Callum Mack and firing an 8 yard left-footer into the bottom of the net as the challenging Ricketts fell in front of him, near the right edge of the goal-area.

He had fired just wide early in the match too, a shot which caused Hartopp some discomfort as the goal-minder covered the effort.

In scoring goal three Ghehe really caused Alcester some concern, getting clear of visiting defender Guy Clark and placing a low shot from 18 yards into the right corner of the net.

Callum Mack…

He did well with his recovery speed and his overlapping rushes, setting up Gbehe’s first goal as described above but also slipping a low first period centre past the struggling Hartopp although no colleague was on hand to convert. Later in the match the wingback’s low centre from a Brandon Tierney pass went beneath Hartopp’s fall but Roman Matt Bailey was forced into a hurried clearance to relieve the danger.

Hartopp slipped as he advanced on one occasion too but he managed to block from the threatening Mack…

MORRISON IN FRONT OF DRAKE-CERVANTES & DAKOURI...

Jean Dakouri…

An often unnoticed workhorse, invaluable for his team and he so nearly made the score 4-5, when he moved into the 18 yard box on the left side but as he bore down on goal his right-footer went into the side-netting as he was challenged. He won a corner though…

The Kenilworth offense… 

There was little seen of it before half-time but the tall Josh Bird shot one effort straight at Hartopp and the ‘keeper advanced to block a low drive by rampaging left wingback Joe Taylor with his legs. The only other real chance was in the second period when Alcester replacement Harry Jennings struck the ball against Connor Mack at the left stick to win a goal-kick after Platt had made a slick run to the right byeline. 

Dan Elwell…

The Roman forward scored a brace but might had added two more, for Woodward tackled Elwell as he bore down on goal before the break then saved a low shot by the number 7 after half-time with his legs… 

His first goal (0-2) was set up by a neat Joe Drake-Cervantes pass following the dispossession of Sporting’s Bird. He clipped a clever curled shot out of his feet from the 18 yard line and the ball entered the net at the right post.

His second goal (0-5) came as a result of another Drake-Cervantes pass to Eminoglu on the right. The wily striker was fortunate to regain control following a partial tackle but his low centre fell to Hewitt whose shot was saved by Woodward although the ball escaped behind the goalie as he sprawled on the wet grass. Elwell spotted his chance and reached the ball first, one yard out to convert…

THE DUGOUTS DURING THE MATCH...

Tez Morton & Tug Hewitt get goals too…

Hewitt was released at inside-right by Eminoglu and shot carefully and calmly past the advancing goalie into the bottom left corner of goal to make it 0-4 but Morton’s strike for 0-3 was actually rather splendid…

For Morton’s goal, again Eminoglu provided the pass, this time from the right touchline towards the 18 yard line at inside-right where Morton took the ball on his right boot to make a smooth turn, then curled a great left-footer from downtown beyond the helpless Woodward who could only watch as the ball clipped the underside of the horizontal beam and dropped into the goal. We liked that…

Morton was subsequently denied one-on-one by Woodward, later in the encounter with yet another legs-save, one of quite a number by the two goalies on the day.

The only other goal chance for the guests was a header by Ricketts which rose too high…

WOODWARD GETS ATTENTION AFTER CONCEDING GOAL 6...

The final words…

Home skipper Joe Wright received a late caution for a late challenge but despite such a dominant and lethal first period by Alcester, Kenilworth reacted and responded brilliantly after the changeover.

Gbehe impressed, Platt did too but the Romans had done too much damage before the recess for the hosts to realistically take the game to penalties. You could almost hear the Sporting players asking at half-time: 

“What did the Romans ever do for us?” 

Not a lot guys, not a lot although for the league encounter between the two clubs in a few weeks the Kenilworth team might just look somewhat different…

TEAMS:

KENILWORTH SPORTING:

RYAN WOODWARD, CALLUM MACK, JOE TAYLOR, BRANDON TIERNEY, JOE WRIGHT (CAPT), CAMERON WELCH, CALLUM MASPERS, JEAN DAKOURI, MASON PLATT, JOSH BIRD, DAVE GBEHE.

SUBS:

BILLY MORRISON, CONNOR MACK, RHYS LYONS.

ALCESTER TOWN:

JACK HARTOPP, MATT BAILEY, MIKE JENNINGS, GUY CLARK, DREW RICKETTS (CAPT), OWEN WARD, DAN ELWELL, JOE DRAKE-CERVANTES, REECE HEWITT, TEZ MORTON, UMIT EMINOGLU.

SUBS:

HARRY JENNINGS, DANNY WILLIAMS, SAM JONES, PASSEKA KARGBO, JACOB WALTON.