KNOWLE FC 1-1 AFC COVENTRY RANGERS: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT & HONEST MATCH REPORT...

 Rangers’ Offense Fails To Ignite At Knowle

Knowle FC 1-1 AFC Coventry Rangers

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

The Midland League 2 season ended with a bit of a rain-damp squib at Knowle, for despite a positive start by title contenders Rangers and a very early goal, they were unable to sustain their attacking approach and indeed, it was the hosts who threatened more strongly as the game wore on. 

THE SKIPPERS BOTH WORE 10 & THE SCORERS WERE BOTH CALLED GEORGE.
JUST SAYIN'...

Visiting ‘keeper Jack Hartopp made fine saves from Nathan Corry, a deflected Jack Ricketts drive, a swerving effort from downtown by Christian McCardle and a low shot by replacement Charlie Morris, whilst home custodian Craig Johnson’s only real save was from a hard, low thump by Connoll Farrell, which wasn’t captured by the lens of my rain-deluged camera…

BOOGIE WONDERLAND FOR CRAIG JOHNSON...

The introduction of attacking dangers Fola Fagbemi and Alpha Wurie happened too late for Rangers, for the pair were barely a threat, although Fagbemi really ought to have been awarded a penalty late on when the ball struck the outstretched arm of Knowle’s Dylan Bennett near the left byeline.

Trouble had been brewing during the second period, for Rangers’ effective midfielder Callum Regan was surprisingly dismissed, after he appeared to be fouled from behind. He bore quite a mark on his ankle as he limped away from the incident. Then McCardle’s not very Christian arm across Fagbemi’s throat wasn’t even considered a foul by the referee, whose previous decent game management was rapidly waning but the Knowle defender thought the whole incident was laughable. However, when McCardle hauled Wurie down soon afterwards, he saw yellow. And still laughed. He was so good for Knowle football-wise though, alongside the imperious Lewis Clarke and the defensive pair certainly nullified AFC’s labouring offense after 15 minutes or so, which lacked the kind of pace needed to cause the necessary danger.

CURRAN WRITHES...

And then Bennett took Ryan Alexander out and a riot ensued, right in front of the dugouts. The replaced Farrell was cautioned, as was home skipper George Seeley, whilst AFC substitute James Chappell was sent-off for acting upon his grievances. The confrontations were ugly but remarkably, Bennett escaped punishment, it appeared.

BENNETT, LEFT, INSTIGATED THE SCRAP...

Seeley was later dismissed, after diverting the route of Rangers’ George Swain’s legs, leaving an unsavoury taste in the mouth. Rangers failed to rise to the challenge late in the match, for a goal by Knowle was a far more likely outcome near the end. 

POWELL, LEFT, SPOTS THE RED ARROWS OVERHEAD, JUST BACK FROM CORONATION DAY IN LONDON...

And so the damp squib fizzled out, leaving Sutton United as the beneficiaries and league champions. Credit and congratulations go to them from The Mowdog & The Bodging…

MCCARDLE IS AMUSED BY FAGBEMI'S AGONY & THEREBY SUGGESTS HIM FOR A MAIN PART IN KNOWLE'S CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME...

The opportunities missed by the teams…   

A slow start by the Robins ended with a fine 16 yard strike by Corry following an incisive Kartel O’Neil-Martin pass, which Hartopp dived left to claw behind for a corner. O’Neil-Martin was busy in the home midfield and his movement often caught the eye. Soon, Ricketts’ shot from distance took a high deflection off Rangers’ skipper Jordan Powell and forced a high leap left from Hartopp, to turn it away very well.

O’Neil-Martin saw a shot blocked and Clarke glanced a header wide of the left stick from a smart right-flank centre by Seeley’s left boot.

During that opening half, Rangers saw Johnson sharply off his line to reach the ball before AFC’s Joe Gardner and a Farrell centre which clipped the crossbar, whilst Clarke made a fine tackle on Gardner, before Farrell drove wildly off target.

After the interval, Rangers only managed that fine low shot by Farrell which Johnson saved very well to his left, a drive by the strangely quiet Powell which Clarke blocked and a deflected Alexander shot. Not much to write home about then, although when Fagbemi’s hard work along the left byeline saw the ball bounce off Bennett’s hand, Knowle could well have paid the penalty…

WURIE & MCCARDLE...

The hosts, although denied by Hartopp twice, also squandered a couple of other opportunities. Mullen shoved a low delivery from left to right across the face of goal, McCardle sent a superb swerving effort from downtown which Hartopp did well to fingertip over the crossbeam and Mullen netted but was flagged offside. Then, following more smart play by O’Neil-Martin, whose slalom rushes were proving tough for Rangers to track, Mullen miscued his pass badly but the ball fell for Corry, who somehow lifted the ball too high from 7 yards, under pressure from Phil Chesters.

CORRY, RED SHIRT, MIGHT HAVE WON IT FOR KNOWLE...

A Ricketts drive flew well wide but then Morris missed a chance to win the encounter late on when Hartopp rushed to deflect his shot towards the left post, where Swain got the better of Seeley, whose foul on the Rangers man saw the brandishing of a second yellow card to end George’s season.

As a last resort Hartopp added his height to a very late AFC corner situation but Wurie was unable to lift the ball effectively from the flag-kick and the damp squib became a soggy, forgotten disappointment… 

The two goals…

A free-kick delivery from the right by Rory Turnbull, who would also be cautioned during the game, cleared the heads of several jumpers and fell at the far post, where Powell was lurking with Ricketts. Somehow the ball rolled inside for Swain to snatch at but Johnson, sprawling to his left stopped it, allowing Swain to scoop the ball high into the net… 

0-1...

The equaliser stemmed from a crossfield run by Ricketts, from the left and he fed Seeley, whose pass forward was blocked back to him off Rangers’ Toby Curran. The rebound bounced up nicely for Seeley though and his left-booted volleyed effort from way downtown through a crowd of players beat the diving and probably unsighted Hartopp just inside the goalie’s left stick.

1-1...

The final words…

I was surprised that Sutton United hadn’t been officially invited to Knowle (unless they had and no-one was told about it) in case, as actually happened, Rangers couldn’t find a victory. The trophy was present, as was a league representative, so that a presentation might have at least been an acceptably pleasant end to a largely uncomfortable afternoon.

I liked O’Neil-Martin’s busy contribution, also Clarke and McCardle for their efforts for the hosts, whilst full-backs Lewis Rainey and Hayden Seymour played their parts too. Bennett was occasionally very incisive with his passing but Corry seemed to carry much of the attacking load alone, as Mullen was heavily marked by the impressive Rangers duo of Chesters and Swain.

ALEXANDER & BENNETT...

Rangers didn’t have enough on the day offensively to deserve the victory, whilst Knowle surged into the contest after a poor start.

Subsequently, Rangers needed to win but couldn’t, whilst Knowle could have won but didn’t…

HANDSHAKES AT THE END...

Me? Well, I didn’t enjoy the wet, breezy afternoon, wrestling with umbrella, camera and a wet lens…

I really didn’t…