PERSHORE TOWN 2-0 BOURTON ROVERS: THE MATCH REPORT...

 Rovers’ Rearguard In Fine Form At Pershore

Pershore Town 2-0 Bourton Rovers

The Mowdog’s thoughts… 

Surely everyone present at the AIM Community Stadium would agree that Bourton’s defence, superbly marshalled by skipper Connor Teague was remarkable in its resilience, for the Plums found breaking their guests down really tough. It was close to half-time when they finally beat the athletic visiting ‘keeper Iestyn Farley but it was heavily bearded home defender Logan Stoddart who scored it and what a goal it was…

THE SKIPPERS MEET...

One of many first period corners, this one from the right, taken by the smart left boot of Josh Willis, was typically cleared by Rovers but the ball fell perfectly for Stoddart, 17 yards from goal, right of centre and his powerful rising drive flashed high into the right side of the net… A fine strike and he really didn’t need to say a word in the dressing-room during the interval…

STODDART: A SHOT, A GOAL...

A lot of efforts at goal from the hosts were thwarted throughout the match but the odd thing was that no real chances fell to central striker Mark Magee, who nevertheless worked extremely hard in attack for his team.

However, as the encounter wore on after the recess, the score was still 1-0 and Rovers manufactured one or two opportunities on the break, which clearly unsettled the Plums and they were often forced by Bourton’s hard-working press to pass back to goalie Eddie Cox and keep possession. Subsequently though, a second goal arrived, courtesy of two replacements.

Petar Tonchev ignored Stoddart’s overlap run on the right, which likely caused some hesitation in the Bourton defence and instead, the quick footed forward clipped in a smart centre. Fellow substitute Jamie Clarke made a clever run off his marker and glanced a fine header past the helpless Farley to settle the outcome.

GOALIE COX MUST HAVE RUN 80 METRES OR SO TO GET ON THE GOAL CELEBRATION IMAGE...

A deserved victory for Pershore of course but one had to admire the incredible defensive prowess of Teague and his fellow defenders, Josh Long, Luke Walsh and Charlie Vinton, aided by the conscientious Bourton midfielders.

Bourton’s dangerous moments…

Just one before the break, when a misunderstanding near the left corner of their own 6 yard box by Plums Curtis Townley and skipper Kirk Layton led to an angled shot by visiting striker Jack Morton whose low near post effort was turned behind by Cox, leaping like a cat at a ball of wool.

SOMEONE CAN PLAY AIR-TROMBONE...

Morton went even closer in the second period with a fine chipped shot which Cox did really well to back-pedal and leap at to turn the ball over his crossbar. Morton also shot straight at Cox whilst the busy and speedy Jordan Mitchell rolled a decent chance wide of the left upright, to his own dismay.

The goal attempts by the Plums, which Rovers did so well to survive…  

Standing on the far side of the pitch from the facilities early on, the sunlight prevented easy filming and sadly, Willis’ fine early shot from downtown which was superbly turned onto his right post by Farley was blotted out from my small camera by the sun. Good job James Baldwin’s rebound conversion was disallowed though, as missing a goal would have been even worse than missing Willis’ shot… 

LAYTON (6) TO MORTON (9): "WELL, MY GOOD CHAP, SHALL WE GO FOR A CUP OF TEA AND A CAKE AFTERWARDS?"
WELL, MAYBE NOT...

Willis was well involved offensively throughout, having a low shot well saved by Farley, the rebound from which was fired wide by Scott Hammond, then twice shooting too high and late on, delivering a low centre across the goalmouth only a foot or so from the goal-line. In the dying moments, Willis spooned Jamie Clarke’s unselfish pass from the byeline over the target.

Baldwin, twice and Hammond had shots desperately but splendidly blocked by Rovers whilst Layton shook the crossbeam with a 15 yard drive and nodded just wide from Townley’s left-flank corner.

WILLIS VOICES HIS OPINION.
THE REF DOESN'T CARE...

Wil Beach’s diving header rose off target, twice Sam Clark went close with towering headers and Townley got a touch near the right post which was deflected for yet another first period flag-kick. 

Possibly Farley’s best save was a flying tip-over of Max Thomas’ shot from way downtown after the interval but the goaltender also saved from home replacement Aidan Clark who then drove another effort wide.

REF: "DO YOU KNOW, MR BALDWIN, I CAN FINGER-PAINT WITH EVERY ONE OF THESE FINGERS..."
BALDWIN LOOKS SCARILY INTERESTED...

Jamie Clarke looked useful in the time that he was allowed and drove a decent 18 yarder over the horizontal pole whilst Tonchev’s right-side cross in the final seconds was somehow hacked off the goal-line at the far stick by a responsible Rovers defender…

The final words…

The match as a whole was intriguing, for despite a wealth of possession and goal chances for Pershore, Bourton simply wouldn’t go away, defending for their lives on a sweltering Worcestershire evening. Following a first period during which the Plums were allowed far too much time and space from deep, as Rovers dropped back to protect their goalie, as the second-half wore on, Bourton’s players tried to hassle Pershore’s possession more often and it worked, until Jamie Clarke struck…

THE REF & A BOURTON PLAYER PRACTISE BEING A PANTO HORSE...

Goalminder Farley was in great form, even when under pressure from bigger opponents aerially, for he never shirked his responsibilities and fully competed for a succession of corners and crosses from the hosts.   

Three points were deserved by Pershore and it will be interesting to assess the personnel changes in Danny Janes’ starting eleven in the weeks to come. Certainly Bourton were focussed, spirited and the defence gave Pershore a tough evening.

NOW THIS DOES LOOK ATMOSPHERIC...

Like the Bourton kit too, except for the numbers which were so pale that it was difficult to distinguish between the players during commentary…

TEAMS:

PERSHORE TOWN:

EDDIE COX, LOGAN STODDART, WIL BEACH, MAX THOMAS, CURTIS TOWNLEY, KIRK LAYTON (CAPT), SCOTT HAMMOND, SAM CLARK, MARK MAGEE, JOSH WILLIS, JAMES BALDWIN.

SUBS:

LEO PINCHES, PETAR TONCHEV, AIDAN CLARK, JAMIE CLARKE. 

BOURTON ROVERS:

IESTYN FARLEY, JOSH LONG, LUKE WALSH, CONNOR TEAGUE (CAPT), CHARLIE VINTON, JOE BOOTE, GEORGE CALLINAN, JAKE ROWBOTHAM, JACK MORTON, RILEY BUTT, JORDAN MITCHELL.

SUBS:

CHARLIE MAUDSLEY, MO SOLIMAN, CALLUM TROTT, SAM HENDY, DAN O’TOOLE.