CADBURY ATHLETIC v AFC COVENTRY RANGERS: THE MOWDOG'S PREVIEW...

 Cadbury Athletic v AFC Coventry Rangers: the preview...

UNIQUE...

Midland League 2 is proving to be a really competitive league already this term. Five teams currently sit on 16 points, whilst 6th placed Earlswood Town lie just a point back. 

Leaders Sutton United have an identical match record as third placed AFC Coventry Rangers: 5 wins, 1 draw and a loss from their 7 games but United's goal difference is a staggering +19, thanks to 5-1, 6-1 and 7-2 victories in the league. Rangers' goal difference is +9 but Sutton's only defeat actually came at Rangers' Tech ground, by a score of 3-2. 

Sutton will entertain second placed Kenilworth Sporting this week-end, who have played a game more than their hosts, whilst Knowle, 4th in the standings are at home to bottom-but-one Boldmere Falcons. Earlswood have an attractive home match against the much fancied Alcester Town, who are 8th in the list, just behind Fairfield Villa. 

Certainly Knowle will rue the four draws they have had to be content with from their eight matches but like Kenilworth the Robins remain unbeaten.    

So, Cadbury Athletic, last season's champions welcome AFC Coventry Rangers this weekend and it should be a cracking encounter. The Chocs fell from first to fifth last Saturday and although they have won 5 times and drawn once, crucially they have lost twice too. In both of those defeats, Cadbury failed to score but their goal difference is a healthy +8...

In recording the form of both teams below, I have included the names of the players chosen by their opponents as their most valuable player from each match...

PRE-SEASON AT THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY...

Cadbury's record so far...

A comfortable 0-4 victory at Barnt Green Spartak (currently propping up the division) saw MVP Adam Bourn and Jeson Dinanga score a brace apiece but next came a trip to Kenilworth, where Sporting managed a 3-0 victory. I saw that game and in truth, Cadbury struggled for form. Bourn was elected the team's MVP for the second match in succession.

A 0-2 success at Lane Head, where Jake Wicketts and substitute Wade Malley scored the goals and Daniel Morris was voted the MVP, was followed by a fourth away game on the trot. This time the Chocs beat Boldmere Falcons 1-4, where Malley scored twice and Dinanga netted once, as did Josh McGinley. Bourn won the MVP accolade for the third time from four matches. 

MALLEY FINDS THE NET IN PRE-SEASON...

A 3-5 success in yet another contest on the road, at Redditch Borough was achieved through goals by Kedeiah Warren-Paul, replacement Andrew Cooper and a hat-trick from Bourn, who was surprisingly not voted as the team's MVP... Josh Roberts took the title from Redditch's voters...

CRAINE SCORES IN PRE-SEASON...

At last Athletic returned to the Chocolate Factory for a home match v Inkberrow, who led 0-1 at the interval but substitute Tom Craine grabbed two second period goals to take all three points for the Chocs. Roberts again won the MVP award... Stubborn Hampton though were next to visit Bournville and were actually leading 1-2 until the 97th minute, when Steve Ruck struck for the hosts to grab a very late draw. The other Cadbury goal was an own-goal and Morris won the MVP award...

KENILWORTH'S TANK DAKOURI LEAVES MORRIS ON THE GROUND.
THE CADBURY PLAYER HAS WON 3 MVP AWARDS THIS TERM...

Last time out, disappointingly, Cadbury lost 1-0 at Alcester, courtesy of a strike by Odane Barnes but Morris won the MVP award for the Chocs for a third time...

Rangers' season so far...

Although holding Alcester to 1-1 at the break, the Romans punished Rangers after the interval to win the opening game of the season 4-1. Alpha Wurie not only scored for promoted Rangers but was also chosen as MVP. Next, Sutton United travelled to the Tech and in a game of seven goals, Rangers edged out their rivals 4-3. Curtis Cutts and Ryan Alexander both netted once, whilst Fola 'The Dunker' Fagbemi grabbed a brace, his second strike being the game's winner in the 88th minute. Skipper Jordan Powell was voted the team's MVP...

FAGBEMI IN ACTION AT HAMPTON...

A 4-2 home win v Inkberrow followed, courtesy of goals by Fagbemi, Rory Turnbull, MVP Wurie and Alexander, whilst Inkberrow's goals came from an early penalty and an added-time consolation strike.

A tough 2-1 home win v Barnt Green Spartak was achieved through goals by Cutts and a dramatic 90th minute winner from Max Howard. Defender George Swain was interestingly acclaimed as the team's MVP... 

The rather dire 0-0 draw at Hampton was the only league game I have seen so far involving Rangers this season and central defender Cutts was voted as the team's MVP.

ALEXANDER HAS A FINE SHOT WELL SAVED AT HAMPTON...

A fine 0-5 victory on the road at Lane Head was next, where Cutts and Joe Gardner each grabbed a goal but Fagbemi scored a hat-trick, for which he would surely be awarded the MVP accolade... But no... It was awarded to the team's singing winger, Liam Doyle, who, er, wasn't even on the team sheet... Weird, or what?

DOYLE (11) IS FOULED AT HAMPTON.
THE RANGERS' WINGER WAS VOTED THE TEAM'S MVP AT LANE HEAD BUT WASN'T ACTUALLY THERE...

A break from league action saw a Coventry Cup tie being played at Coventry Dunlop from Division 3 and the tight match ended in a 2-2 draw, which meant a penalty shootout, won easily by Rangers by 1-4. Fagbemi, Josh Bird, Dan Monger and Wurie scored the spot-kicks and in the actual 90 minutes, the in-form Fagbemi had netted a brace...

Last week, Rangers beat Bolehall Swifts 3-0, with all the goals coming before the break, which were scored by Fagbemi yet again, Owen Wassall and the game's MVP Wurie...

Final words...

Rangers' prolific striker Connoll Farrell continues to rehabilitate from a knee operation but in truth, AFC have started positively this term and this game at Cadbury should be a good measure of where they stand, for the Chocs are always going to be strong at this level... 

Full coverage of the match including video highlights with full commentary, screenshots, images and a comprehensive match report will begin to appear at themowdog.blogspot.com from Sunday morning...

The Mowdog...