CADBURY ATHLETIC 2-2 AFC COVENTRY RANGERS: THE MOWDOG'S HONEST, IMPARTIAL MATCH REPORT...

 Uncomfortable Officiating Ruins A Keen Contest

Cadbury Athletic 2-2 AFC Coventry Rangers

The Mowdog’s observations…

Huge thanks to Cadbury for leaving my name at the gate… It was my actual name too, not The Mowdog, which is rare…

However, after that and right from the start of this highly anticipated match, my day seemed to resemble what should happen to superstitious folks on days dated Friday 13th. It was clear from the outset that spectators were expected to congregate along the side of the pitch behind the dugouts, otherwise known as Cadbury’s fire assembly points, either on the terraced steps or behind the neatly painted white rail. Of course, there was also a small terrace next to the changing rooms at the ground but few folks seemed to take up that option.

Unfortunately, the sun was shining onto the spectators’ touchline, meaning that seeing anything in the viewfinder of my hand-held camera was nigh on impossible and so it became guesswork. Then, a couple of guys from the Cadbury coaching staff chose to stand away from their technical area, a yard or so inside the touchline and of course right in the eye-line of some spectators. And that included me…

The officials should have moved the offending chaps into their designated areas.

I was forced to move some way to my left but that was little better, so at a break in play, I hurried the other way, past the dugouts to the section of touchline worn by a linesperson. Not good either, because I was then looking almost straight into the sun… And then Fola Fagbemi, the wannabe dunking basketballer from Rangers was hurt and yelled out loudly, stopping the game.

I took my cue and hurried, injured hip notwithstanding, round the back of Jack McQuillan’s goal to the opposite touchline, where a sole photographer lurked. And then someone appeared…

The lady I had spoken to at a Cadbury pre-season match v Feckenham arrived and told me that she had enquired who was standing on the far touchline (me…) but that she was OK with the fact that I was filming. She then recalled meeting me at the Feckenham match… However, she became quite verbally involved in the proceedings, badgering the referee and encouraging home right-back Stuart Cooke to “Go for goal yourself…” Eventually, visiting midfielder James Chappell was cautioned and I took a picture of the event, before the woman asked me what had just happened. I turned to explain, looked back to the pitch and saw Rangers’ skipper Jordan Powell cutting inside from the far touchline following a quickly taken throw and then he unleashed a superb 25 yard drive from inside-left high past home gloveman Fraser Oliver and deep into the net. I hadn’t had time to press ‘Record’ and thus failed miserably to capture a priceless goal… I was and am still, gutted…

THE FATEFUL IMAGE I TOOK OF CHAPPELL'S CAUTION...

...THEN POWELL SCORED...

Many apologies to Jordan Powell… I then actually wanted to go home. I had lost all enthusiasm for watching the contest due to my own malfunction but gradually my attention to the match returned, mainly due to some crass and inconsistent refereeing, which caused me some real distress. I had made a bad error in not capturing Powell’s goal and I then made another by somehow lowering the lens of my camera slightly as Chappell’s fine left-booted 26 yard free-kick from inside-right beat Oliver at his near post in the second-half, to put nine-man Rangers 1-2 ahead. It’s just about watchable but again, I had erred… Two goals, badly dealt with by me, for which I apologise…

CHAPPELL REALISES THAT HE'S JUST PUT THE 9 MEN 1-2 AHEAD...

Yet, the errors and rather poor decisions by the match officials will never be apologised for, or excused and yet those individuals will always pick up their match fees…  

...HE STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT...

The spot-kicks…

Ryan Alexander’s challenge on Jeson Dinanga was deemed a penalty and Athletic’s central striker Tom Craine shoved a simple penalty into the right side of goal past McQuillan, who had been hoodwinked to move the other way. Cadbury had huffed and puffed to regain parity and in truth, against nine men, the chance of victory really ought to have been grabbed but McQuillan was rarely called upon to make a save. In fact, Chappell’s free-kick regained the lead for Rangers and as time began to wane, Dinanga tried to move inside from the left byeline, as AFC’s replacement Callum Mack covered him. Mack’s hand and arm brushed Dinanga’s side, which resulted in the forward collapsing. I understand that fear abounded that the striker might receive a second yellow card for diving, having already been cautioned but instead, the referee awarded Cadbury a penalty…

CRAINE HAS EQUALISED AT 1-1...

Craine stepped forth, trundled a shot into the net left of centre as McQuillan moved in the opposite direction and it was all-square at 2-2… 

MALLEY, RIGHT, LAUGHS OUT LOUD AT DINANGA AS CADBURY CELEBRATE CRAINE'S SECOND EQUALISER...

The decision was harsh on Rangers, for earlier in the match, Fagbemi had assisted winger Alpha Wurie into a fine position to score but the AFC guy hesitated, yet was seemingly grabbed and dropped to the ground by a home defender. No penalty… Wurie’s boot then tripped an opponent as he sat on the ground looking displeased with himself, which the referee awarded Cadbury a free-kick for… Hmm… 

DINANGA & ALEXANDER...

The dismissals…

As Wurie made a rush on the left flank, he was apparently held back slightly by a home defender but he then rashly kicked out, for which he was red-carded after several moments of discussion.

IT'S A WORRY FOR WURIE...

During the second period, the industrious Rangers’ midfielder Alexander made a decent run on the left flank and was tackled well by the impressive home skipper Daniel Morris but Cadbury were awarded the throw-in. The linesman was of course a long way from the incident, as was the referee but Curtis Cutts, The Tank in the AFC defence really had a go at the referee from a distance away. Not good, but after speaking to the defender, instead of ordering a period in the sin-bin, which is what had earlier happened to home defender Myles Brooks, or even showing a yellow card, Cutts was dismissed, leaving Rangers to play out the match with nine men…

THE FIRST CUTTS IS THE DEEPEST...

Oh, yes, there was also a football contest going on too…

Cadbury had begun well enough, with wingers Adam Bourn and Josh Roberts looking quick and threatening, whilst Craine caused Cutts some real problems in the air and within ten minutes, a low right-side centre had forced McQuillan and Corey Perkins into desperate defending to clear the danger. A low Dinanga shot, slightly miscued, rolled against the right post and then slowly across the 6 yard box, just a few feet from the goal-line without anyone getting a touch.

A BRIDE HAS THROWN A BOUQUET OVER HER SHOULDER AT THE LOCAL CHURCH & THE PLAYERS SEEM KEEN TO CATCH IT...

George Swain managed to chest the ball past his own left post for a corner, before Steve Ruck combined well with Roberts, only for the totally unmarked Craine to stretch and lift the winger’s low cross over the target from a few yards out. 

CRAINE (9): DANGEROUS...

Rangers had looked a little ragged in defence from the opening whistle but began to settle more, despite some smart interplay between the Athletic players on a few occasions. Home ‘keeper Fraser Oliver palmed an awkward, wind affected high ball for a corner, a fine rush by Wurie allowed Powell a low strike which was blocked well by Oliver’s legs but certainly, Cadbury had edged the opening period, yet trailed 0-1 to Powell’s goal at the interval.

BROOKS POSES LIKE THE STATUE ON THE FOUNTAIN, HOPING THE REF WON'T SEE HIM...

After the break for AFC, Fagbemi broke onto a long Cutts pass at inside-right but with the unmarked Alexander supporting at the edge of the 18 yard box, Fagbemi drove the ball across the face of goal. Rangers then missed a great chance when Powell found himself with only the goalie to beat at inside-right but Oliver advanced to block the low shot well. The ball however, spun upwards towards goal but Fagbemi’s contested header from a few yards out looped over the empty net.

...BROOKS IS THEN SIN-BINNED FOR HIS POOR IMPERSONATION OF THE STATUE...

Fagbemi’s 25 yard free-kick was caught under his crossbeam by the alert Oliver and finally, Fagbemi made a quick forward run at inside-right and under pressure, his low, angled shot rolled past Oliver towards the far corner of the vacant net but Morris wouldn’t give up and got back to scoop the ball away from the goal-line near the left stick. The linesperson on that side of the pitch was well behind play anyway, due to Fagbemi’s speed exceeding his own, so there was no possibility of him being able to flag whether the ball had actually crossed the goal-line… 

I assume it hadn’t… 

Two similar shots for Cadbury, by Morris and then Craine, both from downtown, both from inside-right, flew just past the upper reaches of the left upright, McQuillan got a hand to a far post header by Roberts, following the busy Cooke’s centre, which allowed Phil Chesters, replacing the dismissed Cutts in defence, to clear.

Brooks could get no direction in a header from a long Wade Malley throw but really, despite a good deal of possession, some neat approach play by Lewan Tobin in particular and some continuing threat from Craine, Cadbury could not take advantage of their guests’ misfortunes.

The final words…

Sympathy for Rangers, yes, but credit to them too, for their defensive prowess as the game wore on was remarkable and I’m sure that the Cadbury manager would have complimented the visitors on their resolve and attitude. Only defender Perkins was cautioned too, which says much for the efforts of Toby Curran, Swain, Cutts, Mack and Chesters, not to mention the workloads of midfielders Alexander, Powell and Chappell.

PERKINS IS CAUTIONED BUT HIDES HIS IDENTITY IN CASE I TOOK A PIC.
I DID, ANYWAY...

Forwards Fagbemi and Owen Wassall were unbending in their efforts to chase everything and relieve pressure upon their defenders, as nine battled eleven.

Cadbury’s wing-play became stifled as the game wore on but Bourn and Roberts will cause trouble for any team, two-goal Craine was a constant danger, as was Dinanga, whilst Andrew Cooper was always busy in the midfield area.

Morris and Brooks were prominent in the home defence but subsequently, although a draw with nine players looks a good result, it seemed that Rangers would feel aggrieved at their treatment by the officials and also that they didn’t claim all three points… 

A CADBURY OFFICIAL GIVES STEVE RUCK A KICK UP THE ARSE...

So, two Rangers players will be banned from next week’s match against an unbeaten Knowle outfit, whilst Cadbury will hope to brush up their offense against Hampton at the Boggery…

TEAMS:

CADBURY ATHLETIC:

FRASER OLIVER, STUART COOKE, STEVE RUCK, JACK MCGINN, DANIEL MORRIS (CAPT), MYLES BROOKS, ADAM BOURN, ANDREW COOPER, TOM CRAINE, JESON DINANGA, JOSH ROBERTS.

SUBS:

LIAM O’DONNELL, LEWAN TOBIN, DEON COLSTOCK, SIMON CHIN, WADE MALLEY.

AFC COVENTRY RANGERS:

JACK MCQUILLAN, COREY PERKINS, RORY TURNBULL, RYAN ALEXANDER, GEORGE SWAIN, CURTIS CUTTS, ALPHA WURIE, JAMES CHAPPELL, FOLA FAGBEMI, JORDAN POWELL (CAPT), OWEN WASSALL.

SUBS:

PHIL CHESTERS, ALFIE HILL, CALLUM MACK, LIAM DOYLE, TOBY CURRAN.