CENTRAL AJAX 1-1 BALSALL & BERKSWELL: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Ajax Miss An Opportunity, As Plucky Balsall Grab A Point

Central Ajax 1-1 Balsall & Berkswell

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

In the end, Ajax would rue the missing of a number of chances to score and thus narrow the gap at the top of Midland League 3. Balsall were resolute, took the lead before the break, were pegged back after the recess but somehow survived several close shaves, before leaving a sunny Ajax Park with a valuable point.

TWO OFFICIALS, TWO SKIPPERS...

Adam Taylor might still be wondering how he was unable to find the target during the match, for he simply couldn’t find the Balsall net. Although George Stevens did regain parity for the hosts, he might also have scored with a pair of second period headers. Midfield anchor Matt Green struck an upright with a free-kick too but it wasn’t to be for Ajax as Balsall rode their luck at times.

EDEN, RIGHT, PRACTISES A LITTLE RUSSIAN DANCING WHILST AWAITING THE KICK-OFF...

Only one available linesperson meant that one volunteer from the two teams was needed to help the main official out for 45 minutes each and that situation always seems to cause arguments and frustration. However, coaching whilst running the line and exchanging comments across the field with complainants doesn’t go down too well with opponents, in truth… 

GALLOWAY (18) CALLS OVER A RANDOM PERSON IN THE BAR TO OFFICIATE THE GAME & SORT THINGS OUT A LITTLE BETTER...

However, the referee didn’t really have the most consistent of games himself, especially concerning the awarding or not awarding of free-kicks to teams and when cautions needed issuing. His ‘official’ assistant did really well to remain calm and retain her concentration as she witnessed some rather slapdash refereeing decisions…

MURPHY CLEVERLY BALANCES WARWICK CHURCH UPON HIS HEAD...

The weather was good, both teams gave me a fine welcome and I was even awarded a Balsall & Berkswell badge before the contest began… It had been promised as a gift some time ago… Thanks, guys…

DYKE & ROWBERRY TRY.
BUT GET NOWHERE...

Adam Taylor…

The striker caused Balsall some problems, of that there is no doubt but he would rue his shooting during this encounter. Early on he fed Shaye Eden with a right-side delivery which his forward partner chose to strike with his right boot and got it all wrong. Eden’s left foot no doubt complained inside its boot… Soon Eden raced clear at inside-right but was denied by the outstretched right boot of visiting goalie George Gane who then repeated the identical trick minutes later when Taylor raced clear. Eden then unselfishly fed Taylor from right to left but from an inviting position the number 9 skied his shot over the target.

Several times Taylor would remonstrate with Balsall’s linesperson but he continued to cause danger in the Ajax attack. After half-time, Taylor’s pace allowed him to assist two team-mates on breaks; first Eden who drove too high, then Taylor made a smart pass to Stevens from the left side of the 18 yard box, which the Ajax number 11 clipped past Gane high into the right corner of the net from 16 yards.

STEVENS (11) HAS JUST EQUALISED BUT THERE'S AN INTRIGUING SMILE UPON LAMBERT'S FACE (YELLOW SHIRT...)

Taylor then cut inside from the left and drove a shot over the crossbeam, before volleying too high from close range in the closing moments from Stevens’ headed pass. Three times, Taylor felt he had been fouled by the two solid Balsall central defenders, Lewis Proctor and skipper Harry Finch but three times the referee ignored those claims. One push by Proctor inside the penalty-box looked particularly dubious but neither the main official nor his ‘official’ assistant reacted favourably towards Ajax, nor indeed at all…

A tough day for Taylor, although in truth he was clearly the most effective forward on the field…

TAYLOR: "I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO SCORE, RYAN..."
CRANAGE: "SORRY MATE, CAN'T HELP YOU..."

The other Ajax chances…

Before the break, Green fired a free-kick from downtown against the outside of the right stick but beyond half-time Jared Randall rose like a finch, not Harry Finch you understand, but his header glanced off target, whilst a Dan Holt header was stopped in front of the goal-line by Balsall replacement Ethan Galloway. Aiden Foley nodded down a Freddy Murphy centre for unmarked right-back Craig Robins to strike but leaning back, he lifted a decent opportunity over the horizontal pole.

Gane, falling right, did really well to claw aside a firm Stevens header, then Balsall’s Tommy Atkins hacked a header by Harry Edgington-Furlong away from his goal-line before another Stevens header struck the wing, er, torso of Finch and the ball bounced gently to Gane.

RANDALL (3) POINTS TO THE YELLOW CARD COMING HIS WAY...

Balsall’s offense…  

So, central striker Domonique Lambert had apparently not played for a while, so he would have enjoyed his afternoon at Ajax, surely… He scored during the opening period and shot just wide after the interval, as well as winning the huge majority of his heading duels. His goal stemmed from a right-flank corner by busy midfielder Conor Halton whose delivery was won aerially by Proctor. The central defender’s header looped towards the right stick where the taller home defenders, marking Finch and Proctor, were not posted and Lambert rose with ease to nod the ball past goalie Chris Rowberry from a couple of yards out.  

LAMBERT HAS OPENED THE SCORING...

Lively left-sided attacker Erlind Tata drove one shot straight at Rowberry and scorched another just past the left angle of crossbar and upright, before he was booked for a very minor misdemeanour…

Randall had been cautioned for the hosts for a harsh and late challenge whilst Foley later escaped punishment for a similar foul, which must have frustrated Tata in the extreme…

Balsall left-back Leon Edmund was yellow-carded at the start of half two, as was midfielder Dan May, when things became desperate in the latter stages. Again, the inconsistency of the officiating had been highlighted in what was otherwise a decent contest, which held most spectators’ interest until the very end.

CAN ANYONE GUESS WHAT FOLEY (FAR LEFT) HAS JUST USED TO BLOCK A SHOT WITH?

Galloway shot straight at Rowberry and May was unable to get in a shot as he entered the home 18 yard box. Foley made a block from a shot too but really the second period was generally one of stubborn defending by the Hornets…   

EDEN (7) STRIDES TO STAGE LEFT...

The final words…

The second period was a decent advert for Midland League 3, with both teams fully committed to trying to win. Certainly Ajax ought to have won the match on chances alone but credit must go to Balsall’s persistence and resilience.

Green was the main creative player for the hosts, for usual skipper and craftsman Lewis Fathers was unavailable, as was midfielder Jack Keeling, although Foley was often quiet during the encounter. Skipper on the day Tom Dyke and fellow defender Lewis Kuster did well enough and subsequently ‘keeper Rowberry wasn’t called into too much action. There were some strong runs by midfielder Edgington-Furlong and certainly Murphy, as a replacement, livened things up considerably for the hosts with his rangy rushes.

Guests Balsall were clearly well served by Finch and Proctor, supported by full-backs Atkins and Edmund, whilst Ryan Cranage was industrious in midfield. Goalie Gane enjoyed a very decent outing and his save from Stevens’ header, plus the two made by his right boot, should stay on his highlight reel for some time…

Sadly, the refereeing of the game was not up to a standard worthy of such a decent spectacle. 

It wasn’t.

It really wasn’t…