FAIRFIELD VILLA 2-4 LYE TOWN: THE MOWDOG'S HONEST, INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Plucky Villa Beaten By Late Lye Goals…

Fairfield Villa 2-4 Lye Town

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

A lovely afternoon at Fairfield brought out a decent crowd for this Smedley Crooke Memorial Cup semi-final, which was deservedly won by the Flyers on scoring chances alone. However, Lye took a while to recover from an early Villa goal by wily striker Oli Parsons, despite missing a few opportunities along the way. 1-2 ahead at the break, Lye were often bothered by their hosts after the interval, mainly due to the huge improvement shown in midfield by Fairfield’s skipper Luke Mussell, Joe Drake-Cervantes and the industrious, impressive Anton Powell. 

HEADS UP, LADS...

Due to an injury to home defender Lewis Cosgrove, midfielder Louis Andrews had dropped into centre-defence and he did well there, although the mix-up he was involved in for Lye’s final goal was an undeserved reward for his efforts.

THE TOSS & THE LEANING LINO'...

Thus a penalty and a gift won the match for the visitors, after Powell had regained parity for Villa direct from a corner during the second-half and although a spirited Villa group certainly worried Lye, there was always an underlying threat from the guests who have recently been promoted to Step 4. 

Congratulations then to the Flyers on a fine Midland League Premier Division season…  

"HEY, TYE, I LIKE YOUR ARMBAND..."

Villa’s offensive contributions…

The early goal by Fairfield was smartly taken by Parsons, although Lye’s defenders were expecting an offside flag to be fluttering in the sunshine, which didn’t happen. A long, high thump forward by Cosgrove cleared the Lye defence and there was Parsons on the left side of the 18 yard box and he scored with his only touch of the ball in the incident. He angled himself in the space he had created, waited for the ball to bounce and leaned back to angle a smart lob well over Lye goalie Brad Catlow and deep into the right side of the net for 1-0. 

1-0...

Parsons also slightly miscued from inside-right in that opening period and later from a similar position, struck a fine effort which was tipped beyond his right stick by the diving Catlow.

A Mussell shot was dragged wide too, following smart play by the hosts but after the break thoughtful passing emanated regularly from Fairfield. There were a few goal chances too, after Powell had equalised with a well directed in-swinging right-flank corner, after the floundering Catlow had pushed the ball over the byeline. Powell’s left-footer caused Catlow a real problem and although he managed to claw the ball out, the nearby linesperson had spotted that the trajectory had indeed cross the goal-line. 2-2 and game on again…

2-2...

A fine effort from downtown by replacement Rene Adigbo flew just over the target, Catlow saved at Powell’s feet, Parsons drove a decent chance too high and Powell struck an effort across the goalmouth. 

NGBEKEN CHALLENGES MOULTON...

It was indeed a plucky second-period showing by the hosts, with Mussell neat in possession, Powell displaying neat skills and Drake-Cervantes, his stature that of Barca’s Sergio Busquets, picking up the ball deep and looking to pass the ball through midfield. He did well on the day…

Lye’s threat… 

During the first-half, Sam Tye clipped a shot off target and also headed too high, central defender Ryan Bridgewater saw a back-header clear the crossbeam, whilst another headed effort by the number 5 was blocked on the Villa goal-line by the alert Drake-Cervantes. Both central striker Josh Hesson and winger Nathan Scott drove the ball across the Fairfield goalmouth and Hesson also had a measured low strike deflected by home defender Ed Quilty.

WORDS WITH HALL...

Both busy midfielder Zach Tellyn and Hesson were denied in a 6-yard box scramble but Tellyn would soon claim two assists as finally, the visitors overturned the 1-0 deficit they were labouring under.

First he took a short pass from Joe Palmer as he overlapped on the right-side and passed sensibly inside from the byeline for Hesson to shoot into the roof of the Villa net from 6 yards. 

1-1...

The second Tellyn assist, from a cute Jason Chilton pass stemmed from the left-wing this time and his high left-boot cross was met by Tye’s head, 7 yards out and beating Quilty to the ball. The effort looped upwards and dropped just beneath the crossbar as ‘keeper Ben Maxwell leapt in vain.   

1-2...

After the recess, the hosts made a real game of it but two unfortunate moments turned the Tye, er, tie in Lye’s favour. Apart from Palmer and Hesson having shots blocked and Maxwell saving from Hesson, whose rebound effort was diverted wide by Andrews, the visitors hadn’t found the going easy in the warm second-period May sunshine but that would soon change. Replacement Zidan Sutherland did test Maxwell with a low effort, however.

Soon though Hesson fell as Powell attempted a tackle just inside the 18 yard box and the referee pointed to the penalty-spot. Palmer took the kick and drove it low, left of centre and beneath the diving Maxwell’s body. 2-3 and although Villa were doing well at this point, a lax if odd, moment killed the game very late on.

2-3...

Maxwell rolled the ball to Andrews inside his penalty-box, who tried to feed Drake-Cervantes but Billingham intercepted the ball, tricked Andrews and cleverly beat the helpless goalkeeper from close in to settle the outcome at 2-4.

2-4...

The final words…

Another good welcome from the folks at Fairfield and the Lye contingent was as friendly as always…

Lye were driven on by Billingham’s efforts in midfield but defender Sam Hall took the eye too, although Tellyn, who had started the game so well, maybe faded somewhat from the action later in the match. Liked Hesson’s physical approach in attack though…

DRAKE-CERVANTES & TELLYN...

Jamie Ashmore was, er, vociferous and if anyone personified Lye’s attitude to football, it was certainly him… At one point I was 100 metres from him but I thought he was giving me some advice…

CAUTION FOR TELLYN...

I hope to be at the other semi-final on Wednesday between Pershore Town and Coton Green and subsequently the grand final at Redditch United on 27th May…

Interesting that on the home bench were Stone and Steele, rather useful if Mussell wasn’t quite enough…

I liked that.

I did…