SHIPSTON EXCELSIOR 3-1 MEADOW PARK: THE INDEPENDENT, HONEST, LIGHTHEARTED MATCH REPORT...

 Ships Progress, As Park Fail To Penetrate

Shipston Excelsior 3-1 Meadow Park

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

Played on long grass and what looked like an uneven surface (if the interminable bobbling was anything to go by) this lively Foster Shield Quarter-Final was won by the team which took three of its few opportunities to score goals, even allowing themselves a penalty miss in doing so. The visiting Meadow Park certainly had more goal attempts and possession but subsequently a combination of profligate finishing and some fine saves by home ‘keeper Marcus Ireland kept the guests at bay until the final minute, when replacement Brooklyn Smith rapped a low shot past the goalie.

CONNOR POWELL (RIGHT) REHEARSES FOR 'STRICTLY'...

Both first-half goals by the Ships were a trifle fortunate and the third, killer strike was netted on the break but even though Park dominated the second period possession, they created little and in truth the physical side of Shipston’s game won out.

I THINK THE REFEREE NEEDS A WORD...

...OR IS HE A MAGICIAN WITH TRICKS IN EVERY POCKET?

Thanks to Shipston for the kind welcome and it was good to see some familiar faces, including that of Ships’ wide-man Jamie Wyatt…

HALF-TIME FOR THE SHIPMEN...

I drove to Shipston listening to music by Elise Hayes, so I thought I would use some of her song titles in the report…Check the green italic font! 

It’s what I sometimes do, for it helps me Breathe…

Owen Clarke…

OWEN CLARKE: THE JUGGLE-BALL SCORER...

After entering the field of play to warm up with a cigarette in his hand (maybe gloves would have been safer?), the Ships’ forward was a threat on the offensive left, causing Park’s right-back Roman Timmins a few problems until a knock slowed the winger down somewhat. 

"LET ME SEE WHAT I'VE GOT IN THIS POCKET, LADS..."

Clarke had a second period shot from an angle deflected wide but his remarkable finish before the interval put his team 2-0 ahead. Sadly, an error by Park’s Bailey Eades initiated the score, for he dallied on the ball near his own left corner-quadrant, he was dispossessed by Wyatt and the right-flanker delivered a chest high cross towards the far stick. Clarke had to stretch, got his right boot to the ball which inadvertently killed it and he had the wherewithal to poke the loose ball into the net off the left upright before it and he hit the ground. So, a juggled goal by a smoking striker… Unusual. 

At that point, the depressed visitors trudged slowly Back To The Middle…

Clarke had also set up central striker James Drinkwater for a shot in the first period, following a typically strong and effective rush forward but Drinkwater, after earlier shooting well off target, hit this attempt straight to Park’s gloveman Max Allen.

Josh Gibb… 

GIBB (12): A SCORER FOR SHIPSTON...

He netted the first goal for the Ships with a header from a deep Robbie Charmer free-kick, rising with team-mate Scott Rogers plus opponents Sam Horton and Jed Morris like they were jumping for a ‘Hail Mary’ throw by a Jets’ quarterback in New York City…

The ball bounced off Gibb’s skull as ‘keeper Allen rushed from his goal-line but the trajectory’s Float dropped into the empty net, almost apologetically.

Poor Allen, he only really made two saves in the whole game, once when he advanced to thwart and drive wide the menacing Wyatt and then in the second period he threw himself slightly left to keep out a left-footed penalty by Drinkwater. However, as Wyatt had got clear to win the spot-kick for the hosts, it seemed that the trip by Park’s Sam Green-Jeffries might or might not have been inside the penalty-box… 

ALLEN: SAVED A PENALTY...

Back to Gibb… He was also cautioned, along with colleagues Jamie Haines, who had replaced the hurt Clarke and Nick Shurmer, whilst Park’s skipper Horton and wholehearted midfielder Mason Taylor saw yellow cards produced too…

More Shipston offense… 

Not much of it, to be fair, just a late Haines effort which was well blocked by Horton and an ambitious 18 yard overhead shot by Drinkwater which drifted off target.

Drinkwater netted the important third goal though, when he made ground through the centre, as Wyatt made a surge and slipped a pass towards Clarke whose stretch saw the ball fall neatly into the path of his number 9 who dispatched the ball low past the advancing Allen from 18 yards into the bottom right corner of the net.

EADES & DRINKWATER...

Sam Horton…

SKIPPER HORTON...

The Park defenseman was strong throughout and in fact nearly scored twice before the recess, flashing an early header wide from a Lewis Burford corner and then attempting a wind-aided effort from way downtown which forced Ireland to turn the ball over his goal-frame.

He pushed his team forward in Waves after the break but to little avail, only a 22 yard Burford free-kick threatened, which passed close to the left pole, whilst Taylor sliced a shot well wide and then a Smith shot was deflected for a corner before the substitute grabbed his late goal.

Wearing 13, Smith picked up a rather accidental assist from striker Connor Powell and wrestled himself into a shooting position 22 yards out and his low right-footer beat Ireland just inside the right post.

The other Meadow Park misses…

It really does seem that Christmas Changes You and indeed, Park’s form has certainly deserted them somewhat since December. Twice Powell shot way too high from 19 yards and it was noticeable that he didn’t get a chance from closer in. Taylor shot a free-kick straight at Ireland before the break and Burford was off target twice with efforts from distance.

Nathan Benson was effective when he was brought into the game but too often he was closely marked by the ebullient Shipston defenders. He did manage a low shot though from 20 yards which Ireland did well to dive right for and push behind for a flag-kick. He also shot straight at the home goal-minder from 25 yards. Ryan Timmins shot wide but the best efforts at goal came from Eades and Morris in that first-half.

MORRIS (8): NEVER STOPPED WORKING FOR PARK...

Eades’ 14 yard volley following a set-piece, deflected off the lunging home defender Joe Godson and from thence against the crossbar, which for Eades, was a Real shame…

Morris played decently throughout, forming one third of Park’s fine and promising midfield trio which included the irrepressible Taylor and of course Benson. Sadly their smart passing wasn’t helped by the long and uneven grass and thus a number of balls played were either intercepted or went astray. Morris hit a great shot from distance however which was superbly turned over his crossbeam by the agile Ireland.

The final words…

I guess that Shipston won the tie The Hard Way, taking their chances and relying on Ireland and also the stubborn defence of Godson and his side-kick, skipper Tommy Wright who was a real hero in defence for the Shipmen. I was impressed too by right-back Dale Simpson, an eager, no-nonsense and influential defender, whilst Robbie Shurmer worked hard in midfield without fuss…

WRIGHT WALKS AWAY FROM POWELL, WHO IS STILL REHEARSING HIS DANCE MOVES...

Never Giving Up, Park dominated without penetration until the final whistle and certainly they will have better days in this Season For Everyone to savour after the hell that has been the pandemic. They were susceptible aerially however but that will undoubtedly improve as their young players gain experience in the adult game…

TRYING TO GUESS AN OPPONENT'S NUMBER BY TOUCH...

So, we’ve had winds, we’ve had floods and we’ve had storms but as the season nears its end, please don’t Let It Snow… 

TEAMS:

SHIPSTON EXCELSIOR:

MARCUS IRELAND, DALE SIMPSON, CONOR MURPHY, ROBBIE SHURMER, TOMMY WRIGHT (CAPT), JOE GODSON, JAMIE WYATT, SCOTT ROGERS, JAMES DRINKWATER, OWEN CLARKE, JOSH GIBB.

SUBS:

NICK SHURMER, DAN JENNINGS, LIAM GABARD, JAMIE HAINES.

MEADOW PARK:

MAX ALLEN, ROMAN TIMMINS, JAKE EVERSHAM, SAM HORTON (CAPT), BAILEY EADES, MASON TAYLOR, LEWIS BURFORD, JED MORRIS, CONNOR POWELL, NATHAN BENSON, RYAN TIMMINS.

SUBS:

SAM GREEN-JEFFRIES, BRANDON ASTON, JON TROTH, JOSH THORN, BROOKLYN SMITH.