BEWDLEY TOWN 2-2 RACING CLUB WARWICK: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT REPORT...

 Koita’s Second Period Earns Bewdley A Point

Bewdley Town 2-2 Racing Club Warwick

The Mowdog’s thoughts… 

Another really warm welcome from the staff at Ribbesford Meadows was added to by the friendly greetings received from Gary and Ruth Vella from Racing Club, who are jolly decent folks. No, they didn’t tell me to write that…

The game perhaps ought to have been won by Warwick in truth but they were unable to add to lively forward Kory Burke’s early goal until after Town had regained parity beyond half-time through tall midfielder Moussa Koita. It appeared that replacement Romario Martin’s left-boot strike would win the match for the guests, until Koita was felled inside the Racers’ 18 yard box and substitute Stanford Stewart converted the resulting spot-kick in the closing moments of the contest.

THE TOSS...

The game seemed to lack a controlling midfield creator, despite the sterling attempts of Warwick’s Toby Scott and James Hancocks, whilst Bewdley’s Max Morris was industrious throughout.

Much inaccuracy was noted before the recess in particular and Town often hit long balls for their forwards to try to latch onto, which sadly they rarely did and with Josh Carpenter, Sam Lester and Jordan Graham all being quick but not tall, winning the ball aerially from a number of high kicks forward was always going to hand possession back to their guests.

LESTER (10): "LOOK, HE THINKS IT'S A SPRINT RACE..."

The visitors looked the more likely scorers however, despite a couple of fine saves by RCW’s ‘keeper Dan Crane, yet after the break Bewdley’s confidence definitely improved, although a victory for the Riversiders would have been harsh on the Racers…

Moussa Koita…

Basically, the lean, tall midfielder secured a point for his team with an assist for the penalty and a headed goal but after his first period showing was less than effective, his second 45 was far more convincing and he looked a more efficient competitor. He reduced the areas with a looping header, beating two Racers aerially, skipper Cal Templeton and left-back Josh Steele, to steer his effort from the right side of the goal-area and into the bottom left corner of the net, leaving Crane helpless and rooted to the spot.

KOITA: A GOAL + AN ASSIST...

Another Koita header flew well wide before he was sandwiched between Archie Hamp and Ben Kendrick as he entered the left side of the penalty-box, tumbled and earned a spot-kick. Stewart shot the penalty low into the right corner of the net and a point had been secured for the hosts.

The Warwick offense…

Before the break, a nasty angled right-flank delivery by right-back Hamp was nudged on by home goalie Haydn Whitcombe’s gloves, before the guests scored their first goal. The busy and often dangerous Josh Parsons skilfully moved inside from the left, leaving home defenders Sam Brookes and Ellis Stubbins in his wake before passing the ball across the goalmouth. However, home skipper Sam Prescot, who made some vital interceptions during the encounter, attempted to clear at the left edge of the 6 yard box but merely sliced the ball towards the far post and with the other Town defenders wrong-footed, Burke converted with ease at the right stick.

0-1...

Scott, who was influential, as mentioned above shot straight at Whitcombe, then assisted first Parsons, who pulled a low drive wide of the right post, then left-sided attacker Cam Ebbutt whose good chance was fired straight at the goalminder.  Both Scott passes were smart and accurate, unlike a good deal of the play which was presented by the two outfits, in all fairness.

REF: "I'M JUST GONNA SHOVE MY FINGER IN YOUR EAR, OK?"

After the break, Scott shot well wide, Martin drove from right to left across the goalmouth, as did Burke whose low delivery was only just missed by substitute Harry White. Scott was also cautioned for knocking the ball away at a Bewdley throw-in, meaning that he joined Riversiders Morris and Callum Gillies in the referee’s notebook.

Martin’s goal was cleverly created by Parsons’ hoick over his shoulder for the alert Martin to rush onto at inside-left. He cut back inside from near the byeline to beat Callum Clayton but instead of a right-foot shot, Martin had time to switch onto his favoured left boot and beat Whitcombe with a rising drive.

MARTIN'S MANAGER LOOKS OVERJOYED BY HIS GOAL...

One second period break by the Racers saw an attempted back-heel pass by Burke when maybe he might have been more selfish and shot himself, for the ball rolled to a Town defender, who cleared.

The Riversiders’ Attacking accomplishments…

Apart from a weak Brookes header during Town’s rather tame first period, the best moment was foiled by the visiting gloveman, Crane. Twice… A long Lester pass wasn’t dealt with by Templeton and that freed Graham on the left, who fed Carpenter inside him but Crane dived low and left to divert the ball into Brookes’ path. However, Crane was up quickly and chucked himself down to block the full-back’s effort too.

THERE'S A STRAY FINGER ON THIS IMAGE...

A Morris free-kick from downtown was easily stopped by Crane after the recess, whilst a decent Brookes header flew too high from a set-piece.

The final words…

An untidy first-half, despite Parsons’ efforts for RCW and some innovative play by the speedy Burke, who won early headers against the home defence subsequently led to no second goal for the Racers. Then there was an improvement by Bewdley after the 15 minute break for tea and crumpets, for Koita surged in to head one goal, looked more comfortable in the home midfield and even won a crucial penalty, so that the Riversiders grabbed their draw.

THE PENALTY IS AWARDED...

The pitch was in decent condition on the day, despite the River Severn looking rather bloated and I can only wish that more soccer fans had taken the opportunity and trouble to go and watch this local non-league game during the current World Cup break… 

"I KNOW IT'S NEARLY DARK BUT YOU CAN'T SLEEP YET..."

TEAMS:

BEWDLEY TOWN:

HAYDN WHITCOMBE, DAN BROOKES, CALLUM GILLIES, ELLS STUBBINS, SAM PRESCOT (CAPT), CALLUM CLAYTON, MAX MORRIS, MOUSSA KOITA, JOSH CARPENTER, SAM LESTER, JORDAN GRAHAM.

SUBS:

ALEX QUAYNOR, ASA HUMPHREY, STANFORD STEWART, CALLUM ALLCHURCH.

RACING CLUB WARWICK:

DAN CRANE, ARCHIE HAMP, JOSH STEELE, BEN KENDRICK, CAL TEMPLETON (CAPT), JAMES HANCOCKS, ELI BAKO, TOBY SCOTT, KORY BURKE, JOSH PARSONS, CAM EBBUTT.

SUBS:

CONNOR MORT, ROMARIO MARTIN, HARRY WHITE, COLIN SMITH, CALLUM SCOTT.