RACING CLUB WARWICK 1-2 DUNKIRK: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Boatmen Outrace Racers To Progress In FA Vase…

Racing Club Warwick 1-2 Dunkirk

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This was a really well contested tie in which Dunkirk recovered from conceding early, grew into the match, created chances, then saw their goalie Jake Want make two fine first period saves from Colin Smith and then Connor Mort. However, after the break Want’s only tough moment individually was when his central defensive team-mate Dave Leak poked a Smith centre towards his own goal but the gloveman dropped down quickly to prevent disaster. Certainly in the closing moments at 1-2 behind, there was a mighty scramble in the Dunkirk goalmouth but in truth, parity for the hosts would have been cruel on their guests and also on the two sets of supporters, for a penalty shootout had beckoned…

The late winning strike by substitute Boatman McKenna Parton was a trifle scrappy but the Dunkirk celebrations were emotional and excitable, leaving the Racers so little time to rescue themselves from defeat. 

GEORGE HARRISON & CAL TEMPLETON...

Step 6 Dunkirk advanced then, after beating Step 5 opposition but certainly after the interval the sheer effort by the visitors in hurrying their hosts in possession was impressive at times. 

Both the first two goals might have been disallowed for fouls in the buildups to them but no infringement moved the referee each time and although after the interval Smith finally began to threaten more with rushes through the inside-left channel, very little penetration stemmed from his involvement. Fair play to Boatman Leak then, alongside right-back Oli Robinson who worked hard to nullify the Racers’ striker. 

AWAITING A DUNKIRK FREE-KICK...

Lively home forward Josh Parsons was also kept largely at bay, his only real attempts at goal being a low 18 yard effort before the break which was easily saved and a shot into the side-netting from an angle late on.   

Warwick’s other attacking efforts…

Prior to the recess, the industrious and often creative Charlie Jones, strong defender Ricardo Dudley and the skilful right-wingback Chris Mayuba all shot low and harmlessly at Want but the ‘keeper excelled himself by advancing from goal to block from Smith, due to Dunkirk defender Shea Thompson-Harris getting too little purchase upon a back-pass. Want repeated the trick when Mort fastened onto a Smith flick and sidestepped the same Dunkirk defender, only to see his shot deflected smartly by the goaltender for an unproductive corner.

After half-time, apart from Leak’s near own-goal and Parsons’ low effort, defender Ben Kendrick nodded off target and when replacement Toby Scott swung in a deep free-kick, Racers’ outstanding defender and skipper Cal Templeton nodded the ball back across goal for another substitute Hanibal Sallami, who miscued beyond the far pole.

NWADIKE IS DOWN...

A late scramble, in which home goalie Dan Crane pushed forward for a set-piece and got in a header, came to nought for the hosts but Dunkirk survived without too much concern, as Want collected a high ball, fell on it and hugged it like he didn’t want mum to take away his favourite teddy bear.

When Dunkirk fought their way back into the contest…

RCW had taken the lead early when left-wingback Archie Hamp tussled with Boatman Robinson on the left edge of the penalty-box. As Robinson fell, with Hamp helping him down, the Racer utilised the space to cut inside and rifle a right-footer past the unsighted Want from 10 yards, for Leak was attempting to block Hamp in front of the goalie’s eye-line… 

1-0: HAMP...

The first-period response from Dunkirk came gradually, after the busy and usually effective midfielder Lamin Manneh had shoved a low centre across a vacant goalmouth. He would shoot just too high from downtown too, following skipper Sam Harbottle’s drive from distance which was neatly turned over the goal-frame by the reaching Crane.

PARSONS REPORTS TO THE HEADTEACHER...

From the resulting corner, Ewan Head’s header was knocked away from the right angle of crossbeam and upright by Crane but then Head passed the loose ball across the goalmouth from the byeline, only for the ever reliable Templeton to kick clear. Leak nodded a Joe Harrison free-kick into the side-netting, before a left-flank corner was flicked on by Head’s head and central striker George Harrison shot the ball from an acute angle, only for Jones to hack the effort away from his goal-line at the far post. Head was involved again as half-time approached but saw a left post area shot deflected for a corner.

CAUTION FOR PARSONS...

Beyond the break, the visitors’ first real opening brought an equaliser from Joe Harrison’s left boot. He collected possession and struck a long distance shot before both my camera and Dunkirk Secretary Phil Allen’s iPhone were activated but both of us managed to follow the low trajectory of the ball as it careered past Crane and nestled in the bottom left corner of the net.

  

1-1: JOE HARRISON...

 

Head nodded too high from a Joe Harrison flag-kick, replacement Max Taylor couldn’t quite take the ball on and get clear from a neat assist before he was tackled, then Taylor smacked a 12 yard shot against the outside of the angle of left stick and crossbar. 

TEMPLETON & HARBOTTLE...

The winner was as dramatic for the Boatmen as it was deflating for the Racers, whose wheels had almost come off by this point. An offensive challenge by Parton on Scott wasn’t deemed a foul by the officials, the ball was punted forward again by Dunkirk and Taylor made a nuisance of himself inside the penalty-box. Kendrick and Templeton jumped, the ball fell against Taylor, he turned and clipped a short pass towards My Sweet Lord George Harrison but although he was already marked by Dudley, Scott left his own marked opponent and jumped with him too, leaving Parton alone behind the leaping trio. Not one of the three cleared the ball, which to Scott’s dismay dropped to Parton and after having slight difficulty in controlling the ball, he poked an 8 yard shot between the challenging Scott’s legs, beyond Crane’s reach and gently inside the right post… 1-2… 

1-2: PARTON...

Cue mad celebrations…

The final words…

Home midfielders Elie Ikwa and Jones began the game so well, with Parsons looking busy in attack but their influence faded somewhat as Joe Harrison, Lavell White and Manneh became more involved and effective for the guests. Behind these guys was the foraging Rueban Nwadike but the defensive group did awfully well, with the pace of Robinson-Harris crucial on occasions. Subsequently, the pressing game of Dunkirk, urged on by their two coaches hassled Templeton, Dudley and Kendrick into some hurried releases and prevented Warwick from passing their way forward to any real effect. Yes, it was tough for the Dunkirk forwards when out of possession to keep harassing the Racers but in the end, it helped to provide a rich reward.

WHITE & HAMP...

Huge thanks to Gary and Ruth Vella for agreeing to my late request to cover the match for my blog and leaving my name on the gate, also for chatting to me before the tie began. I had been due to see Lydney Town v Mousehole AFC in the FA Vase on the day but it appeared that the M5 had road works ongoing near Worcester and the estimated time for a 68 mile journey was nearing two hours by 11am that morning and I decided I didn’t need the hassle.

I checked Racing Club’s fixture sand saw that Dunkirk were the guests, a team I had watched a number of times some seasons ago and so that became my choice. Incredibly, I met the Dunkirk Legend Darren ‘Gamo’ Garmston at the game, for his son Mason was on the visitors’ bench, also Cyril and Phil Allen who are still with the club in official capacities… 

It was brilliant to see them…

The end was quite dramatic though, perfect for the independent spectator…

TEAMS:

RACING CLUB WARWICK:

DAN CRANE, CHRIS MAYUBA, ARCHIE HAMP, CAL TEMPLETON (CAPT), RICARDO DUDLEY, BEN KENDRICK, CHARLIE JONES, ELIE IKWA, JOSH PARSONS, COLIN SMITH, CONNOR MORT.

SUBS:

JAMAL CLARKE, JAMES HANCOCKS, TOBY SCOTT, HANIBAL SALLAMI, RALFIE LEE PENTON.

DUNKIRK FC:

JAKE WANT, OLI ROBINSON, SHEA THOMPSON-HARRIS, DAVID LEAK, EWAN HEAD, RUEBAN NWADIKE, LAMIN MANNEH, JOE HARRISON, GEORGE HARRISON, SAM HARBOTTLE (CAPT), LAVELL WHITE.

SUBS:

MCKENNA PARTON, JOEL HOWES, MAX TAYLOR, MYKAH SKERVIN, OAKLEY KENNEDY, MASON GARMSTON, BEN MOORE (GK).