AFC COVENTRY RANGERS 0-4 HIGHGATE UNITED: THE MATCH REPORT...

 ‘Gate’s Strength & Experience Win Out In The Coventry Heat…

AFC Coventry Rangers 0-4 Highgate United

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

It was too hot. It was a pre-season game and the gap of two divisions between the teams was often clear, although in truth, the hosts held their guests to 0-0 until a minute after the interval. During the break,  Highgate’s players remained outside on the field, surprisingly. Four second period goals settled the issue as a contest but one was a floated delivery which drifted over the goalie into the net, one was a penalty, one appeared to be knocked onto an opponent’s shoulder by Ross Davis, the AFC goalminder and the last goal was the slightest of nudges which rolled agonisingly out of the reach of Rangers’ replacement ‘keeper Tyler Hawthorn.

INTERESTING BODY LANGUAGE HERE...

Certainly, ‘Gate created enough chances to score but in fairness, Davis made a few good saves and several goal attempts were wayward, whilst United’s goaltender Brad Catlow was forced to make only two real saves throughout the match. 

At the start of the second period, I raised my camera to start filming as a long boot forward by ‘Gate’s Ruben Freeman was chased by energetic midfielder Kyle Carey but before I had time to press the ‘record’ button, he had delivered a deep centre from the right flank which floated over the backpedaling Davis and into the Rangers’ net. So, no clip of the first goal…

However, I am really grateful to Highgate’s media guy from ‘THROUGHTHELENS’ Productions who kindly sent me the relevant clip after the match… So, maybe check out the video action from Highgate’s point of view too, filmed from the opposite side of the pitch…

0-1...

The other three goals, which I did manage to capture myself…

Goal two was a penalty after Curtis Cutts fouled Dom Alleyne and central striker Ryan Harkin needed no invitation to shove his spot-kick to Davis’ left, as the goalie fell to his right.

0-2...

A right-side corner led to the third goal but although Shay Palmer rose to head the ball, it appeared that Davis, who had moved from his goal-line to punch the ball clear, had knocked it against the left shoulder of the Gateman and it dropped gently into the net.

0-3...

Goal four stemmed from a mugging of Rangers’ Rory Turnbull, setting Charlie Stanton rushing forward on the left. His low pass across the penalty-box was just about reached by the outstretched boot of Jack Till and although his touch was minimal and the diversion slight, the ball rolled gently just inside the right post.

0-4...

Near misses…

In the first 45 a free-kick from downtown by the quiet Connoll Farrell for Rangers was tipped over the target by the flying Catlow, who then saved low from Fola Fagbemi’s measured shot from inside-left. 

At the other end, Davis dropped to smother a James Wilkinson pass, saved low from the dangerous Kartel O’Neill-Martin and spectacularly from Isaac Adegeko’s angled drive. A combination of Corey Perkins and the splendid Phil Chesters denied O’Neill-Martin, who then struck another shot into Cutts’ chest. The ball came off worse…

Harkin shot disappointingly wide and when Kian Trialist nudged the ball goalwards, Chesters was in the right place again to clear.

GALDINS TAKES AN ELBOW FROM THE UNCARING FARRELL...

After the recess, Rangers managed only a left-booter by the often lively Fagbemi but the actual save was like taking a bauble from his Christmas tree for Catlow. A fine reaction save by Davis prevented Alleyne from scoring from 7 yards and Till might have done better when he shovelled a right-side centre over the crossbar from 7 yards.

The busy trialist forward wearing 10 converted one chance but the referee disallowed his attempt after Alleyne had challenged Davis to a low left-flank cross and the official clearly thought that the ‘keeper had been unfairly treated by one of Alleyne’s feet.

Final conclusions…

Liked Connor Mooney’s left-side overlaps for ‘Gate, also the involvement of Carey, whilst Adegeko was progressive in possession and Liam Cairns was industrious, despite the weather. Skipper George Cleet and Freeman were solid in defence, ruffled only rarely by the occasional rushes by Fagbemi.

"PLEASE DO NOT CONCERN YOURSELF SIR. I WAS READING LAW BOOKS UNTIL 5am THIS MORNING & I'M A LITTLE TIRED..."

The hosts played reasonably well in truth and Chesters, the calming influence alongside the bullish, raucous and very effective Cutts, was in fine form for his crew. Max Howard and skipper Ryan Alexander did what they could for Rangers in midfield, whilst Toby Curran grew into the game. 

"REF, BUTT OUT. I DON'T NEED YOU HOVERING OVER ME LIKE THAT..."

However, that first goal, so close to start of the second period was a sucker punch for AFC and subsequently, they were unable to recover against a dominant United outfit…

HEADMASTER + PLAYGROUND SCRAPPERS...

SQUADS:

AFC COVENTRY RANGERS:

ROSS DAVIS (GK), COREY PERKINS, TOBY CURRAN, KIAM GALDINS, PHIL CHESTERS, CURTIS CUTTS, FOLA FAGBEMI, MAX HOWARD, CONNOLL FARRELL, RYAN ALEXANDER (CAPT), RORY TURNBULL, JOSH BIRD, JEAN PATRICK SILVA GOMES,  KIERAN MCANDREWS, LIAM DOYLE, TYLER HAWTHORN (GK).

HIGHGATE UNITED:

BRAD CATLOW, JAMES WILKINSON, CONNOR MOONEY, ISAAC ADEGEKO, GEORGE CLEET (CAPT), RUBEN FREEMAN, KYLE CAREY, LIAM CAIRNS, RYAN HARKIN, KIAN THE TRIALIST, KARTEL O’NEILL-MARTIN, SHAY PALMER, MITCH MOLLISON, BEN VALLANCE, JACK TILL, DOM ALLEYNE, CHARLIE STANTON.