LEAMINGTON HIBS 0-2 AFC BIRMINGHAM: THE INDEPENDENT, HONEST, LIGHTHEARTED MATCH REPORT...

 A Goal In Each Half Proves Enough For AFC

Leamington Hibs 0-2 AFC Birmingham

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

Before last evening, I hadn’t seen AFC play, although I have watched Hibs a few times, mainly because they are local to where I live and also due to the fact that the folks who run the club are fine and decent people and are always welcoming. It became quite a cold evening surprisingly and although the visitors probably deserved to win the match on chances alone, they also featured four very strong players in defender Nkrumah Mansur, gloved midfielder Ciaran Healy, their skipper and forward Jayden Hunter, plus goalkeeper Tom Parsons, who made a couple of decent saves after the interval.

BROGDAN WATCHES MANSUR BITE ON A FLAG...

Adventurous central defender Charlie Day scored the first goal for his team with a scintillating finish, only minutes after he had made a superb rush through the middle of the field during an attack which eventually failed. He picked up a miscued Jordan Featherstone clearance, avoided a jumping press by home winger Jason Ezeh with a nifty trick and curled a fine shot which nudged the leaping Jack Marshall’s glove-tips as it entered the top right corner of the net from downtown…  

Certainly after the break, which Hibs spent being berated, yet encouraged by their manager on the grass outside the facilities, the hosts made more of a game of it but in truth, the guests were denied several times by Marshall too and although the second goal was deemed controversial, it settled the issue deservedly in AFC’s favour.

BROGDAN (9): ALWAYS LIKES A BIT OF GOSSIP...

A shot was deflected to wide player Danta Spence and his clipped 16 yard shot struck the underside of the crossbar then bounced down for Marshall to grab. However, a linesperson flagged that the ball had spun across the goal-line, telling some spectators that it ‘wasn’t even close’…

There was no questioning Hibs’ second period revival but Hunter’s fine running in possession, Healy’s generally commanding midfield play and some audacious defending by Mansur made sure that the travelling Brummies took the three points.

CAN'T KEEP THOSE TWO OUT OF THE VIEWFINDER...

The Hibs’ offense…

There was so little of it before the recess, which surprisingly lasted the full fifteen minutes, despite the fact that the light was not that great. Ed Brogdan miscued an attempted lob way too high and fired straight at Parsons, as well as forcing a tip-over save by the goalie, although an offside flag was waving anyway.

The lively Toni Nzingu shot across the face of goal but despite his busy contribution (he was also cautioned) and some neat plays by Ezeh, the home attack, missing striker Sean Woodfield, was blunted too easily by Mansur and Day. 

WOOLLEY LOOKS FORLORN, AS SMITH AND DUNKLEY (2) PLAY ON...

After half-time Sam Smith shoved a low shot against Parsons’ legs following a Jordan Featherstone free-kick and Jordan had a drive deflected for a corner. However, Jordan Featherstone was really close to scoring from a Sam Dunkley set-piece when the ball appeared to strike his head, only for a combination of Healy, Mansur and the effective right-back Zach Holden to prevent the ball from crossing the goal-line. 

Soon, near the left post, Parsons did really well to dive right and claw Zach Featherstone’s close range right-footer away, whilst Jordan Featherstone nudged a very late chance over the bar from a few yards out, possibly with his back. The hosts claimed a goal too when Holden deflected a Dunkley corner towards his own goal but Mansur cleared the ball away, with the home players claiming it had crossed the goal-line… It didn’t count though.

ZACH FEATHERSTONE'S 'FRUSTRATED ARMS' POSE...

AFC…

Hunter’s runs in possession were all the more remarkable because of the hard, uneven surface but he only managed a low shot wide in the opening 45, whilst the eager Spence drove one effort too high, as did midfielder Chad Barrett. 

Holden shot at Marshall, Spence nudged a near post centre by Hunter past the target, before Day struck as the light faded… 

After the too long recess, the visitors manufactured several chances but Hunter shot at Marshall from an angle then drove an effort too high, before Holden saw his unmarked header saved well falling left by the Hibs’ gloveman. Marshall then palmed a Spence delivery to the feet of replacement Sam Collins but recovered to make a vital save from the rebound with a leg.

FASHION GLOVES BY HEALY (6)...

Collins shot well wide, midfielder Dylan Robinson forced a save plunging left by the goalie from 25 yards, then Spence scored but there was still time for Marshall to turn aside an angled shot by Hunter and watch a drive by industrious substitute Ash Price rise way too high.

The final words…

The Hibs’ manager suggested I watch his U7 team play because whenever I watch his adult team, they don’t win. However, in Zach Featherstone they possess loyalty personified and in terms of effort, the players never really let the club down. Luke Woolley didn’t get onto the field on the night but nevertheless, the second period performance was decent enough.

NZINGU IS ABOUT TO RECEIVE HIS CAUTION...

Jordan Featherstone hadn’t played for quite a while and Sam Newey was carrying a knock I believe but fair play to both for turning out for this end of season contest.

AFC were progressive and players like forward Harley Baker and left-back Ollie Neath certainly played their parts in a what turned out to be a hard fought victory.

APPEALING AGAINST A DECISION WHICH WOULD NEVER CHANGE ANYWAY...

When Mansur saw my camera before the match, he asked me to get a picture of him on the pitch which of course I did but there are times when you see a footballer play with some flair and arrogance, seemingly confident in his approach and central defender Mansur was like that, despite a couple of passing errors. Would like to see him play in a Busquets-type role… 

HIBS AT HALF-TIME...

Thanks again to the Hibs’ family for the great welcome and maybe sometime soon, their skipper will win a trophy in front of my camera. 

He, more than many, deserves an accolade… 

HEALY: "YOU KNOW THOSE BEARDS ARE UNFASHIONABLE NOW, DON'T YOU CHAD?"

TEAMS:

LEAMINGTON HIBS:

JACK MARSHALL, SAM DUNKLEY, SAM NEWEY, ZACH FEATHERSTONE (CAPT), ADRIAN WINFIELD, SAM SMITH, JASON EZEH, JORDAN FEATHERSTONE, ED BROGDAN, TONI NZINGU, AARON WHITEHEAD.

SUBS:

SAM AJOKU, LEE RYCROFT, CHARLES HAROLD, KENT BREWSTER, LUKE WOOLLEY.

AFC BIRMINGHAM:

TOM PARSONS, ZACH HOLDEN, OLLIE NEATH, NKRUMAH MANSUR, CHARLIE DAY, CIARAN HEALY, DYLAN ROBINSON, CHAD BARRETT, JAYDEN HUNTER (CAPT), HARLEY BAKER, DANTA SPENCE.

SUBS:

SAM COLLINS, ALEX HUNTLEY, ASH PRICE, MCKENZIE O’SULLIVAN, MATT HIGGINS.