CENTRAL AJAX 3-2 AFC SOLIHULL: THE MOWDOG'S HONEST, INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Ajax Come Good To Wreck Solihull’s Hopes At The Death…

Central Ajax 3-2 AFC Solihull

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This game rose to quite a crescendo as added time approached, with AFC leading 1-2 and likely to be sitting in a promotion place behind Coventrians in Midland League 3. Both of Ajax’s playmakers had departed, for Matt Green had been replaced and Lewis Fathers’ hamstring had pulled him up sharp but the hosts somehow smacked in two very late goals to snatch the promotion spot from their visitors. 

In a game of few real goalscoring opportunities, the finish was as thrilling for Ajax as it was devastating for Solihull but the spectators present (92 according to my ex-schoolfriend and footballing globetrotter John Higgins) left Ajax Park’s open-air footballing theatre having witnessed quite a last act.

AFC began both halves superbly and netted quickly each time, leaving Ajax to claw their way back into the encounter twice, often laboriously but in Dylan Parker, they fielded someone who affected the outcome in two precious moments. He assisted Shaye Eden to score the first equaliser before half-time, then won the match in added time with a cool 12 yard finish.

Solihull were clearly devastated, although they did appear to have dropped more deeply as a unit as the match had worn on, even though most of Ajax’s possession movements seemed to conclude with an inaccurate delivery, leading to frustration for them and satisfaction for their guests.

And then added time exploded…

JEFFRIES DEFENDING FOR AJAX...

The two offenses…  

In a tight and tense contest, few chances resulted from the teams’ attacking styles. Certainly, AFC’s first attack brought a goal but it was an individual effort of some style by left-back Charlie Gumbley. He moved forward, was allowed to turn onto his right foot at inside-left, 19 yards downtown from goal then he curled a lovely shot past the surprised home goalie Sean Wilson and into the far top corner of the netting. An excellent finish… 

0-1...

Soon afterwards, Cherno Sey, who was lively for the visitors on occasions and who later produced one fine challenge on Ajax’s lively forward Adam Taylor to prevent a shot, nearly added a second goal for his team. Put clear at inside-right, he struck his shot at the advancing Wilson, who saved it with, er, his nose… The gloveman needed treatment for his injury but what an important incident that proved to be… Busy visiting forward Tom Kallugin did shoot too high on one occasion from 18 yards but Wilson was otherwise untested. 

WILSON PAYS HOMAGE TO THE REFEREE.
OR HE MIGHT BE AWAITING ATTENTION FOR HIS INJURY...

A couple of set-pieces were headed clear rather well by Ajax’s number 3 Harry Edgington-Furlong, he of the loping and powerful runs but it was Parker who sparked the resumption of parity in the contest when he drove a low delivery across the face of goal, then was included in a one-two on the right-flank with Eden. Parker shoved a low cross towards the near post, Eden flicked it goalwards as defender Tom Altay went to ground and the ball found its way into the net.

1-1...

Fine blocks by the AFC defence, including one good interception by James Perry, the visiting skipper, prevented the lurking Eden from adding to his total for the season and one Green drive was stopped by Altay. 

As the second period began, AFC midfielder Aboo Said shoved the ball left, following a slightly awry kicked clearance by Wilson. The ball was turned inside to midfielder George Hunt and he took a return pass towards the left byeline. My camera view was limited by the size of the two ‘technical areas’ and I couldn’t see who returned the ball to Hunt but his poked shot from an angle rolled past Wilson and just inside the far right stick.

1-2...

Subsequently, it was catch-up time again for the hosts but crucially, they had some 40+ minutes in which to find an equaliser. For much of the half though, they laboured against the visiting defence, where Adam Ballinger, Altay, Perry and Gumbley rose to the challenge. AFC midfielders Sey and Josias Kindala supported their defensemen too and generally protected ‘keeper Keaton Chahal well enough…

A couple of melees were endured without doubt and the industrious Jack Keeling nodded wide of the target but Ajax just couldn’t find a clear opening and although long throws and corners were won, AFC didn’t particularly look like conceding, as time began to run out. Edgington-Furlong wasn't cautioned for a sliding challenge on Perry, who recovered rather quickly from his agony but the Ajax defender would suddenly become his team’s saviour, after a scramble in the Solihull goalmouth.

WARNING...

PERRY'S AGONY...

Those final crazy moments… 

A set-piece had been survived by the guests but a cross was curled in from the left-flank and despite AFC’s tall defenders, it was Eden who won a downward header near the right post. The ball though dropped against the foot of the left upright, bounced out again and wrong-footed a couple of defenders but there was Edgington-Furlong to smash a gleeful shot into the net from 7 yards… Wow… 

2-2...

Almost immediately, home replacement Jordan Lewis challenged Chahal aerially, the ‘keeper’s partial punch dropped at the speedy Taylor’s feet, who calmly fed the unmarked Parker around the penalty-spot and his measured, calm inside-of-right-boot finish beat Chahal and a few desperate AFC defenders as it flew into the bottom right corner of the net. Cue madness…  

3-2...

The final words…

This had been Midland League 3 drama, laced with real emotion and yet after their extreme disappointment, I noticed a message of congratulations from AFC Solihull to Ajax on Twitter after the match. That was a remarkably decent gesture…

A tense, tight, yet interesting match had erupted into an unexpected conclusion, a real boost for this level of non-league football. It was a good advertisement for the game by the kinds of teams which generally struggle even to survive.

Credit to both teams involved in this match. 

END JOY...

I loved it.

I really did…