LEAMINGTON HIBS 0-0 CASTLE VALE TOWN: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Scurrying Vale Scramble Valuable Point At The Boggery…

Leamington Hibs 0-0 Castle Vale Town

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

It rained in Solihull. Throughout the whole afternoon it rained in Solihull. The match was played on pitch 2 at the Boggery, meaning no shelter for the very few rather indomitable spectators who had braved the awful autumn weather to watch this Midland League 3 clash. Sadly, the only shelters lay on a touchline of pitch 1, where Hampton FC play their home games.

There was a line of large trees on the dugout side of the pitch however but naturally, just to cause me some real problems, the slight breeze was drifting the fine rain down the gentle slope across the playing surface towards the trees, so that had I stood there, my camera’s lens would have been as dotty as a face with measles. 

So, my umbrella did its job on the opposite touchline…

WILSON & FEATHERSTONE SNIGGER WHEN A LINESMAN SAYS THAT HE'S GOING TO ATTRACT A BLACK-HEADED GULL ONTO HIS GLOVED HAND...

The slope on the pitch had however resulted in a small pond forming near the corner-flag closest to the car-park, which home midfielder Kent Brewster slipped in during the opening stages of the match. The referee, whom I saw recently at an AFC Coventry Rangers home game, decided to call for human sweepers with brooms to combat the flood and the encounter was delayed for several minutes, as water was brushed over the byeline, only to be replaced by, er, more rain. 

PLAYING SWEEPER...

Oddly, the sweeping carried on whilst the game was being played further up the pitch and it was bizarre to see two pitch invaders not being told to bugger off…

However, what of the game itself? Well, Vale were smarting from a 0-14 home defeat last week by AFC Coventry Rangers and attempting to impress a new coach who was uncertain of many of his players’ names before kick-off, so uncertain that checks on the FullTime website had to be made.

The guests though made a game of it, using thrusting and pacy attacks, which in truth were largely nullified by the defending of the unruffled Sam Smith and Hibs’ skipper Zach Featherstone. Hibs though looked tentative and until the latter stages of the match when they struck a post and had a headed effort cleared from the Vale goal-line, they had looked the less likely team to win the game.

PLAYING, JUST PLAYING IN THE RAIN...

A draw in the end was probably a fair reflection of the script followed by the two teams, although the Vale manager was likely the happier man in charge. The Hibs’ boss seemed frustrated when he thanked me for covering the game afterwards, feeling that his lads hadn’t started well enough against a team reeling from their previous result. As I wrote above, Hibs really did seem tentative but they were also unhurried and at times knocked the ball about as if they led 3-0, especially before the interval.

As it was, striker Sam Ajoku rarely threatened against the robust World War 2 pill-box of a visiting central defender Jordan Redden and his rather impressive sidekick Jalaleddine Sbitri, who read the game well on occasions. Winger Sahid Kamara was involved in quite a battle for much of the time with uncompromising Vale right-back Tamjir Malik, who was also responsible for the above mentioned goal-line clearance.

Few chances were created overall but each ‘keeper did make a couple of comfortable saves each but I guess that in the closing stages of the contest, Hibs were certainly on top.  

The referee…

The attempted pond removal delayed the first period, several of the official’s ‘chats’ with players broke up play, three foul-throws were spotted, Smith was cautioned and Vale striker Kemarl Campbell was sin-binned. 

The ref allowed several harsh tackles to go unpunished and surely he allowed visiting defender Olufela Adebayo to escape a penalty-call for upending Ed Brogden? Adebayo was also seen standing on Kent Brewster’s boot-heel whilst waiting for a flag-kick to be taken, something Brewster told the official about but he, er, wasn’t impressed…

"I DON'T WANNA BEDSIDE STORY REF, I JUST WANNA GET ON AND PLAY..."

Strangely, the same ref sin-binned a player at AFC Coventry Rangers a few weeks ago, as well as dismissing a player and delaying the game…

Well, we always ask for consistency…

Jamel Wilson… 

I liked the efforts of the Vale skipper, taking full responsibility for leadership on the pitch and working well with Myles Mason. Wilson drove in a shot from downtown before the break which home goalie Jack Marshall turned over his horizontal plank but the playmaker could only drag another 23 yard effort wide later in the match.

Myles Mason…

This guy proved to be the most effective forward on display and might have scored in the opening half. He reached a pass by Campbell before Marshall and although he was forced out to an angle on the left, he turned to shoot at the open net, only to be denied by a fine saving interception by Featherstone at the expense of a corner.

KAMARA (11): A COUPLE OF CHANCES ONLY...

During the second period, Mason got away in the inside-left channel but his low cross-shot took a touch off the falling ‘keeper and trickled past the far stick for another corner.

Mason’s ball control was often impressive and he had the beating of players with step-overs and what the elderly would call ‘body swerves’. He played very well and nearly provided a very late assist for Campbell to win the match but the tall forward shot wide of the right upright from 18 yards, with only Marshall to beat.

The only other worthy attempt at goal by Vale was a drive from downtown by busy midfielder Ensa Jarju, which rose not too far above the crossbeam.

Zach Featherstone…

The Hibs’ skipper always seems to be performing wearing an imaginary back-pack, labelled ‘The Weight Of The Team’ but his exertions, his leadership and his downright determination not to lose are admirable.

His near goal-line clearance was timed to perfection but he revealed to me afterwards that he wondered how long it would be before he wouldn’t be able to get back in time for such heroics…

He’ll be fine…

Luke Woolley… 

Enigmatic, often clever, a playmaker, sometimes tough in the tackle… Good to have on your team, I would say. He missed with a couple of long shots late on but his overall contribution could not really be faulted.

Didn’t smile though…

Ryan McEvoy…

Great effort, some smart flicks and tricks, although I heard one team-mate scold him for one piece of trickery which surrendered possession. Decent left foot for set-pieces and never did shirk a challenge.

MASON (10): A DECENT PERFORMANCE...

Leamington chances…

Ajoku fired straight at Baker and later off target, Sam Dunkley was released centrally but subsequently tumbled like he’d been shot by an Apache rifle in a Western movie and lost control of the ball as Baker dived at his feet. No penalty, clearly…

Brogden shot low at Baker, following fine skills by McEvoy, Dunkley had a shot deflected into the side-netting early in the match and Kamara was foiled by Baker’s low save then lifted a shot too high in the closing seconds of the 90 minutes.

The best chances though fell to Brewster and replacement Sean Woodfield.

Brewster was released at inside-right by Dunkley’s cleverness but the tireless midfielder’s right-booter struck the inside of the right post and flashed away to the left across the goalmouth.

A right-side corner was then met by Woodfield’s powerful header but Malik reacted superbly to hack the ball clear as he guarded his team’s left upright.

Final words… 

A brilliant welcome by Hibs, which I thank them for and a contest which never sank to the depths of the weather, despite the lack of goalmouth action and of course, goals…

CAUTION FOR SMITH...

Loved the black-headed gulls, which repaired the malfunctioning turf at half-time but I was really surprised that they didn’t go floating on the wing-pond too…

HIBS' NEW NICKNAME REALLY OUGHT TO BE 'THE GULLS'...

TEAMS:

LEAMINGTON HIBS:

JACK MARSHALL, ED BROGDEN, SAM DUNKLEY, ZACH FEATHERSTONE (CAPT), JACK BREEN, SAM SMITH, RYAN MCEVOY, LUKE WOOLLEY, SAM AJOKU, KENT BREWSTER, SAHID KAMARA.

SUBS:

DAN GIBBONS, BRYAN KONG, DAN ADEMOLA-ADEMILUYI, SEAN WOODFIELD.

CASTLE VALE TOWN:

CHARLIE BAKER, TAMJIR MALIK, ABDOULIAH KCHIKECH, JALALEDDINE SBITRI, JORDAN REDDEN, OLUFELA ADEBAYO, ENSA JARJU, JAMEL WILSON, KEMARL CAMPBELL, MYLES MASON, BRANDON WEBSTER.

SUBS:

DWIGHT GREEN, STEFANO IDIAGHE, RUSHAUN FULCOTT.