STOURBRIDGE STANDARD 1-2 CENTRAL AJAX: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Lively Standard Pipped At The Death…

Stourbridge Standard 1-2 Central Ajax

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This Birmingham Saturday Vase tie was a good watch, in which the unbeaten Central Ajax team from Midland League 3 snatched a late victory, after being thoroughly examined by a young, keen and skilful Standard outfit. The hosts caused their guests some real problems, especially before the interval and really should have scored more than just the equaliser smartly netted by right-sided attacker Cole Wells.

Standard had conceded early when a skid on the artificial Dudley College pitch by home goalie Kai Lloyd presented Shaye Eden with the chance to set up George Stevens for a simple goal. However from then on, with Wells causing severe trauma to the visitors’ defensive left-flank, Standard played some decent football, urged on by their calm and influential skipper Elliot Farley. Sadly though, their finishing was wasteful on occasions.

THE TOSS...

After the break, the game was more even but of course badly interrupted too by quite a number of substitutions and neither team was thus able to settle into a decent rhythm which likely suited Ajax. Both teams missed opportunities but with the tie edging towards a penalty shootout, Harry Edgington-Furlong, the Ajax left-back, rattled in a fine winner into the setting sun from downtown. Filming into the low sunlight was not helpful but luckily the footage is just about OK to preserve what was a fine strike by the Ajax defender…

Kamren Smith & Callum Swain…      

Both Stourbridge forwards missed opportunities on the day but they contributed to a strong display by their team, currently playing in the West Midlands Regional League Division 2.

Standard winger Smith, despite some really neat footwork and an overall decent shift, will rue two really decent chances before the recess when first he totally miscued a Wells pass from a few yards out despite being unmarked but then, again unchallenged, he headed a left-wing corner wide of the far post when he looked set to score. 

SMITH: A COUPLE OF CHANCES MISSED...

Swain was heavily involved and offered Ajax defenders Tom Dyke and Lewis Kuster some awkward moments. The striker powered an 8 yard rising effort against the crossbar in the first period, although Nathan Taylor might well have got a touch to the drive, then Swain nudged a Wells pass wide at the near post after half-time. Finally he shot hard and low as visiting ‘keeper Nathan Taylor advanced towards him but the ball deflected off the gloveman for a corner, which Taylor punched clear.

The goals…

0-1: a long booted clearance by Nathan Taylor sent Eden rushing at inside-right, onside but Lloyd made the decision to advance left to clear, only to slip and skid on the surface, leaving Eden in possession at the byeline. The Ajax forward passed the ball across the 6 yard box and there was Stevens, totally alone to convert easily.

"IT WAS HANDY I WAS THERE, GEORGE, DON'T YOU RECKON?"
0-1 TO AJAX...

1-1: and the equaliser which Standard must have thought would never arrive did so before the interval, thanks to smart play by Swain who managed to shuffle to the left byeline. His low delivery evaded Smith but ran to the unmarked Wells, 15 yards out, right of centre but the winger was suddenly charged at by Matt Green. Wells though kept cool and sidestepped the challenge cleverly before measuring an accurate low right-footer inside the left post, past a host of bodies. 

WELLS HAS REGAINED PARITY...

1-2: as Wells lay injured, following a Standard attack, the ball was moved inside by Ajax replacement Dan Holt and Edgington-Furlong was alone, centrally. He moved forward several paces and clearly knew that an unhindered shot from distance was on, so he hammered the ball which fizzed high into the top right corner of the net past the diving Lloyd to hand victory to the visitors from Warwick.  Some strike…

THE WINNER WAS CERTAINLY WELL RECEIVED BY AJAX'S PLAYERS... 

The Standard offense…

The industrious, deep-lying forward Charlie Van Veen struck two decent shots before the opening period had lapsed, first firing just too high from 19 yards and then from a completely unmarked position, 16 yards out, he forced a fine save from Nathan Taylor who dived left to get his gloves to the ball.

Really effective midfielder Finn Monaghan will wonder how he was unable to get in a telling header from a left-wing cross by Rehoboth Adubofour and after Smith had been hauled down, Farley’s free-kick shot was blocked by the leaping Ajax wall.

SWAIN, LEFT: DENIED TWICE BY NATHAN TAYLOR...

After the interval, Wells nodded too high and a low drive by substitute Alfred Maczkowski was spilled by Nathan Taylor who recovered in time to foil the lurking Swain.

Replacement Nathan Clinton received a late yellow card…

The other Ajax attacks…  

Before half-time, Stevens nodded a left-side delivery onto the top of the horizontal bar and despite having a goal disallowed for offside, Eden was denied by a brave save from the advancing Lloyd, following a pass by the busy Jack Keeling and a dummy by Adam Taylor. Green saw a far post volley blocked by Adubofour but after the end-change, Eden was offered four chances to score, first awkwardly poking a right-booted shot from inside-left at Lloyd, then forcing a low save by the ‘keeper from an acute angle, before finally heading and then shooting timidly at Lloyd.

ADAM TAYLOR IS CAUTIONED...

Holt drove a shot into the artificial turf but the bounce came to nought, then following a loose clearance by Lloyd, the Ajax replacement attempted to lift a shot from downtown over the stranded goalie but Lloyd was alive to that and tipped the ball to safety. Substitute Jordan Lewis drove one effort off target from inside-right but subsequently the Edgington-Furlong strike was enough for the Warwick based outfit…

THE HOME SKIPPER TAKES A KNOCK...

The final words…  

I’m glad I chose this match to watch, for Ajax had to dig deep to defeat their WMRFL rivals, a team which moved the ball about smartly. Certainly the guests had their chances too but in truth, Standard will rue their inability to make their dominant periods count. 

Liked the midfield calmness of Farley and Monaghan and the link play of Van Veen, whilst the home forwards will surely cause problems for most defences this term. Defenders Elliott Ball, Adubofour, Shane Bennett and the effective Josh Dorkworth all contributed well enough for Standard and Le’Shae Brown performed strongly when he replaced the hurt Ball…

THE REF HAS A WORD WITH DORKWORTH...

Ajax were clearly made to work hard by their hosts and custodian Nathan Taylor played his part well, whilst Dyke and Kuster battled with aplomb in the rearguard. Skipper Lewis Fathers worked hard but in all honesty, Eden might have scored more than once on another day. Right-back Craig Robins was often left in yards of space during the opening period but must have felt ignored at times as the ball was relayed by his playmakers towards the centre or left. Still, the threat was there…

ROBINS & SMITH...

Yellow cards were shown to Lewis and Adam Taylor but the game was never a rough one, although the referee’s timing was interesting, for I was in my car and driving away by 4.48pm…

Thanks to Standard for the welcome and to Ajax for the promise of a pork bap next time I visit their patch but it was a strange arrival for me at Dudley College. First I was allowed under a car-park barrier by the Stourbridge manager but then was told to go and find somewhere else to leave my car by a lady from the college, as she scolded the manager for lifting the barrier manually… Embarrassing for both of us…

Apparently lifting the barrier has caused it to malfunction before now…

Oops…

TEAMS:

STOURBRIDGE STANDARD:

KAI LLOYD, ELLIOTT BALL, REHOBOTH ADUBOFOUR, ELLIOT FARLEY (CAPT), SHANE BENNETT, JOSH DORK WORTH, COLE WELLS, FINN MONAGHAN, CALLUM SWAIN, CHARLIE VAN VEEN, KAMREN SMITH.

SUBS:

ALFRED MACZKOWSKI, EVAN BROOKES, LE’SHAE BROWN, NATHAN CLINTON, ALIEU JABANG.

CENTRAL AJAX:

NATHAN TAYLOR, CRAIG ROBINS, HARRY EDGINGTON-FURLONG, TOM DYKE, LEWIS KUSTER, MATT GREEN, SHAYE EDEN, JACK KEELING, ADAM TAYLOR, LEWIS FATHERS (CAPT), GEORGE STEVENS.

SUBS:

JORDAN LEWIS, AIDEN FOLEY, JARED RANDELL, DAN HOLT.