FISSC RESERVES 0-0 MEADOW PARK: THE HONEST, UNCOMPLAINING, INDEPENDENT, MOSTLY LIGHTHEARTED MATCH REPORT...

 Shortened Stalemate At Tiddington…

FISSC Reserves 0-0 Meadow Park

The Mowdog’s thoughts about the evening…

I must be honest and write that this match between two title contenders lacked, er, an awful lot…

League leaders FISSC surprisingly failed to trouble Park goalie Max Allen at all and only one shot was recorded by them, which was a lobbed effort well over the target by Dino de Angelis during a terribly poor first period.

DE ANGELIS: SHOT TOO HIGH...

The facilities at the NFU ground were very smart and the pitch looked conducive for passing the ball and also therefore a thrilling match. That kind of encounter did not materialise in any way or form. Despite the efforts of the powerful Nathan Benson in the Park midfield, alongside the subtle smartness of Luke Brown, the visitors were certainly the better team throughout but their penetration was weak. Left-flanker Kyle Stenson had ability on the ball but was starved of the kind of possession he needed to affect the outcome. Jamie Smith was clearly a decent player too but he missed two late second period chances to win the match for his team. Otherwise, long shots were the norm by the guests, which were simply not good enough.

SERIOUS STUFF, THIS FOOTBALL...

At 8.05pm I was driving back to Solihull in daylight, yet the match was curtailed by the referee at 7.32pm to the incredulity of most folks present. As he blew the half-time whistle he said that it would be 40 minutes each way because of fading light… Really? Two lengthy injury stoppages to allow for attention to home gloveman Rhys Lewis then right-back Will Clark should really have added some six or seven minutes onto the length of the match, as well as extra time allowed for the lulls when numerous substitutions were made. More time ought to have been allocated too for the minutes wasted when players were forced to fetch several wildly off target balls. Yet the game began at 6pm and was brought to a close at 7.32pm? If either of these teams fails to win the league title, they might be wondering in sheer frustration what a full 90 minutes at the NFU ground might have produced…  

THE FINAL WHISTLE IS BLOWN IN TOTAL DARKNESS...

And it was still light at 8.05…  

Nathan Benson… 

His heading was generally decent and it seemed odd that he wasn’t shoved up front for the final 15 minutes in an all out attempt to grab the goal his team need and indeed deserved.

BENSON IS FAR RIGHT...

His shooting, all from downtown, was not good however, firing an early free-kick much too high, another effort wide and one more shot before the break straight at Lewis. After the recess he again shot at the goalie and again shot way too high.

BENSON WOULD FIRE HIS FREE-KICK TOO HIGH...

However, he was the game’s dominant personality, although his skipper Sam Horton was in belligerent form in defence too, alongside the fierce Bailey Eades, whose second period near post header from Brown’s corner nearly won it for Park.

FISSC’s more influential performers… 

Goalie Lewis, defenders Andy Rogers and the very effective skipper Darren Mole were well supported by full-backs Clark and the expansive Marcus Gibson-Brandreth, allowing midfield playmaker Steve Rigby to do the best he could under difficult circumstances. 

SAD FOR LEWIS...

ALL THE BEST TO HIM...

Lawrie Kendall and Matt Toms were clearly forced to tuck inside and attempt to counter Park’s ebullient tactics and of course Jamie Aspinall appeared to latch onto Benson a lot. Aspinall was also cautioned for the second of two first period fouls. Lewis’ only really awkward save was when he fumbled a low drive from Horton but recovered to grab the ball like he was attempting to save as many eggs as he could from a dropped carton.  

Replacement home forward Chris Rogers was booked late on for a clumsy tackle on Eades but it had been hard going for the home offense, in which Glen Matthew had worked so hard for little reward.  

CHRIS ROGERS GETS A LATE BOOKING...

Meadow Park…

Jamie Smith was well tackled during the opening 45 by Mole near the left byeline but the Park man was later denied also from the left byeline by an unusual patted stop by the replacement goalie at the near post. He then drove too high from 18 yards as the referee’s restricted time for us to be out with chaperones began to run out. 

Replacements Brandon Aston and Jack Sutcliffe made decent contributions later in the game for the guests but there was still a real lack of punch in attack.

Jamie Smith was busy throughout for Meadow Park but it was namesake Brooklyn Smith who actually found the net with a flick of his elbow, a naughty moment which earned him a caution, even though he pointed to his shoulder, which would have meant that his arm was jointed onto his body the wrong way round…

CAUTION FOR BROOKLYN SMITH (19)...

Brooklyn flicked an overhead-type effort too high from Benson’s header too but in truth, the home defence ruled the Park attack. Brown had a long shot saved, the industrious left-back Jake Eversham shot 20 yards wide from 20 yards out, Ryan Timmins’ late volley flew well past the far post and Horton’s byeline centre was pushed away by the sub-goalie.

And that, sadly, was that…

The final words…

I had a cold for the first time in ages, so I was glad to get home after this damp squib of a match which really ought to have been a cracker. My Covid test was negative by the way, rather like the offensive play I saw at the NFU Sports Ground. 

The vibes I picked up from the two sidelines were that FISSC weren’t at all concerned about the result, probably because they were chuffed to receive a point after such a negative performance. However, Park’s contingent was genuinely annoyed, for they felt that they ought to have taken advantage of their general dominance, especially when Lewis was replaced and Clark was injured for their hosts.

The lingering thoughts though are about the time lost during the evening due to an official’s view of how much daylight remained and of course the paltry added time allowed for two injury delays, several substitutions and waits whilst balls were rescued. There were other balls available too, but they seemed slow to appear… 

It’s always tough for referees to be honest when representatives from two teams have to provide a linesperson but spectators and players alike have to see beyond that, I guess.

IT IS NOW SO DARK THAT THE PLAYERS GET THEIR POSITIONAL DIRECTIONS FROM THE STARS... 

Subsequently, it was past 8.15pm when I arrived home and after apologising for being out after dusk, I ate a jam sandwich and watched Athletico Madrid kick the shit out of Jack Grealish…

Odd, cuz I rarely watch live soccer on TV but after the game at the NFU, I wanted to see some proper goalmouth action…

TEAMS:

FISSC RESERVES:

RHYS LEWIS, WILL CLARK, MARCUS GIBSON-BRANDRETH, ANDY ROGERS, DARREN MOLE (CAPT), JAMIE ASPINALL, MATT TOMS, STEVE RIGBY, GLEN MATTHEW, DINO DE ANGELIS, LAWRIE KENDALL.

SUBS:

RICH FOREMAN, ALEX DANKS, MATT REEVES, CHRIS ROGERS, SAM ROBERTS.

MEADOW PARK:

MAX ALLEN, LEWIS BURFORD, JAKE EVERSHAM, SAM HORTON, BAILEY EADES, LUKE BROWN, RYAN TIMMINS, JAMIE SMITH, BROOKLYN SMITH, NATHAN BENSON, KYLE STENSON.

SUBS:

JON TROTH, JACK SUTCLIFFE, BEN CHILTON, MACKENZIE WRIGHT, BRANDON ASTON.