COPSEWOOD COVENTRY 1-4 AFC COVENTRY RANGERS: THE INDEPENDENT, HONEST & LIGHTHEARTED MATCH REPORT...

 Farrell Fires Rangers Into The Final…

Copsewood Coventry 1-4 AFC Coventry Rangers

(Coventry Telegraph Cup Semi-Final)

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

Connoll Farrell’s hat-trick scuppered Copsewood’s hopes of attaining a place in the Final at the Ricoh Arena on 3rd May. His pace and power were critical in a match which saw Rangers edge the number of goal chances but finish more clinically. Certainly Copsewood managed more possession in the second period but despite the danger caused by strikers Bryan Kohynelom and Emmanuel Tetteh-Kpatogbe, their shooting was predominantly off-target. The consolation for the ‘hosts’ was a late penalty by defender Danny Lole. 

FARRELL (IN ORANGE): HIS HAT-TRICK WON THE MATCH FOR RANGERS...

The match itself was a tough watch, despite having begun with some dash, for too many times the flow was interrupted by fouls, injuries and then later, substitutions caused more delays. However, errors and physicality were evident throughout the game in front of a decent crowd in Allard Way.

It was not good that Copsewood’s team sheet, for a semi-final, included the wrong numbers for their players, making the commentary awkward. I was surprised that the officials failed to instruct their representative to make it clear who was wearing which number. Still, somehow I got through it and I must thank ‘Wood’s skipper Ben Atkins (via Rangers’ manager Kev Kingham) for informing me who several of the players were… Cheers…

"I TOLD YOU THAT I WANTED YOUR HOMEWORK IN TODAY, NOT NEXT WEEK..."

Evening matches at Allard Way are never easy to film with a hand-held camera, due to the corners often being in some shadow but hopefully there is enough footage available to make my entrance fee worthwhile…

Connoll Farrell… 

He was well supported on the night by the lively and also physical approach of sidekick Fola Fagbemi, who netted the other Rangers goal. He picked up a pass from his workhorse of a skipper Ryan Alexander on the left-flank, cut inside and suddenly unleashed a ferocious head-high cross-shot, which home goalie Nathan Pearce got his hands to but allowed to pass through them into the far corner of the net. That goal came moments after Farrell had opened the scoring.

The forward benefited from the mugging by Joe Gardner of Copsewood’s number 4, who actually played a decent second 45 minutes for his team. Farrell raced onto the ball on the left, outpaced Atkins and powered a low angled drive past Pearce and into the far corner of the net.

Pearce had already deflected a similar Farrell shot for a corner and had also kept out a Curtis Cutts header on his goal-line and blocked a rebound effort as Phil Chesters and Fagbemi attempted to score.

THE TOSSING...

After firing a right-side centre across the goalmouth, which took a deflection for a corner, Farrell made it 0-3 before the interval. The goal was fortunate for it stemmed from a Copsewood clearance which struck Fagbemi and flew across the face of goal towards the right. Gardner rose superbly to head down the ball for the unmarked Farrell, who scored with his right boot… The home defence had been forced into disarray by the ricochet off Fagbemi, hence Farrell lurking some 8 yards out.

More Rangers offense…  

A couple of Alexander headers went wide before the break and ‘keeper Pearce was close to conceding a penalty as he raced out at Fagbemi, who ended up in a heap, near the basket, sorry, the corner of the 6 yard box. (Fagbemi is keen on the NBA. Cuz I said so…)

ACTUALLY, COPSEWOOD, FAGBEMI WAS ACTUALLY INJURED...

Fewer chances were created by AFC after the recess, as the team stopped playing their natural game and of course, they are still missing injured club skipper Jordan Powell who is quite a commander on the pitch.

"HEY, TOBY, CAN YOU TOUCH YOUR TOES, LIKE ME?"

The speedy Farrell was taken out like a fox by a hunting rifle when Luke McKiernan flattened him, Cutts headed wide from a Farrell corner and then Lole tripped Gardner inside the 18 yard box, which allowed Farrell to fire a low spot-kick into the right corner of the net to complete his hat-trick.

Farrell also drove too high from 21 yards, following fine play by replacement Liam Doyle, who always seems to play with a song on his lips… Maybe he’ll sing the National Anthem at the Ricoh…

Cutts, Doyle and the tigerish Toby Curren were all cautioned as Rangers knuckled down to offer their opponents as little time as possible on the ball.

Emmanuel Tetteh-Kpatogbe & Bryan Kohynelom (I hope they were 15 and 9 respectively)… 

Both powerful, both quick, both clever, the pair caused some problems for AFC but one has to say that both Cutts and Chesters stuck to their tasks and prevented both from notching a goal. Defensive aid came from George Whitelaw, Connor Halton and the indefatigable Alexander, which forced the two strikers to drop deeper on occasions to gain possession, for the service they received wasn’t often acceptable. Curran and Rory Turnbull were also really committed from the full-back positions for AFC.

TOBY WONDERS WHAT THE FUSS IS ALL ABOUT...

Chesters’ back-header allowed Kpatogbe in but he dragged a left-booter well wide but when he was released by Kohynelom, he was flagged offside when he likely wasn’t. He pulled his effort wide anyway…

A fine turn by Kohynelom saw him get away from Chesters for once but he smacked his shot way too high. After half-time, Kpatogbe drove too high and also placed a smart shot against the right stick, following fine play on the right by Kohynelom. Kohynelom shot from downtown straight at Rangers’ goalie Dave Allen too and Sean Quirke planted a header wide.

More of Copsewood…

Copsewood’s 4 drove in a decent effort before the break but the shot was deflected for an unproductive corner. And then, very late on, Copsewood’s 8 was tripped by Doyle and Lole smacked the resulting spot-kick past Allen, the ball rising into the right side of the net.

Bookings were awarded to McKiernan for his foul on Farrell and to 4, then 11 as the game progressed.

The last words…

Apologies for any errors involving names and numbers but thanks once again to Copsewood for the welcome.

TEARS OF JOY?
NO, DIDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT...

The game descended into a scrappy affair in the trenches after the interval but it was clear that Copsewood had regained some pride, as some of their later approach play was comfortable, usually involving their number 4 and also Charlie Gordon.

Subsequently though, Farrell did the damage, ably assisted by his two forward colleagues, as well as the reliable, industrious Alexander, who has taken on the captaincy with relish as Powell gets fit…

A word for Chesters, for his last ditch tackling was often crucial, alongside Cutts whose no-nonsense defending was effective on the night… 

SQUADS:

COPSEWOOD COVENTRY:

NATHAN PEARCE, DANNY LOLE, BEN ATKINS (CAPT), ANDY WILSON-KING, JAKE UPTON, SEAN QUIRKE, CHARLIE GORDON, LUKE MCKIERNAN, ADAM CIVZELIS, EMMANUAEL TETTEH-KPATOGBE, BRYAN KPHYNELOM.

TOM MURPHY, ANDRE JACKSON, CHRIS WILSON-KING, SAM HEWETT, BRAD TAYLOR.

AFC COVENTRY RANGERS:

DAVE ALLEN, TOBY CURRAN, RORY TURNBULL, CONNOR HALTON, PHIL CHESTERS, CUTRIS CUTTS, JOE GARDNER, GEORGE WHITELAW, CONNOLL FARRELL, RYAN ALEXANDER (CAPT), FOLA FAGBEMI.

SUBS:

OWEN SUDDICK, CAM PRINGLE-ANDREWS, LUKE COMASKY, LIAM DOYLE, ROSS DAVIS.