KNOWLE FC 2-0 LEAMINGTON HIBS: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT REPORT + A NUMBER OF IMAGES WITH CAPTIONS...

 Knowle Finally Bury Resilient Hibs…

Knowle FC 2-0 Leamington Hibs

(Les James Cup…)

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This tie began in light rain and ended in bright sunshine, as the much-changed Robins did enough to beat their hard-working, stubborn guests from the league below.

A number of chances were missed by Knowle and until a late header by midfielder Mike Palmer settled the issue, the Robins had led only by Tom Craine’s penalty before the recess.

Intriguingly, at 1-0 behind, Hibs were denied a goal by an offside flag, which I cannot comment upon, then saw home goalie Craig Johnson save smartly from visiting replacement Demilade Adeisrael. 

In the closing moments, after Knowle had taken the ball into an offensive corner twice, the guests were awarded a spot-kick of their own, which was saved by the plunging Johnson. In all, Hibs were deservedly beaten but certainly not disgraced, for gloveman Roddy Attwood excelled and Knowle’s finishing was often inaccurate.

Attwood apart, Hibs were served fairly well most of the time by an industrious defence, whilst Kozi Muanza and Sam Ojayi showed glimpses of form in the midfield area.

Knowle’s playmaker Dylan Bennett was as prominent as always, finding space seemingly at will and Palmer was voracious in his combative attitude. Left-back Joe Riddeford was steady, whilst strikers Craine and Jack Mullen might have netted several times from open play between them.

The Hibs’ offense…  

Before the break, home goalie Johnson blocked a Muanza effort and immediately after the break, he caught an audacious Luke Woolley shot from Petula Clark, er, I mean 40 yards Downtown…

Adeisrael had a goal chalked off for offside, Johnson saved at powerful striker Dan Ademola’s feet and before he won a penalty, Adeisrael headed off target.

Johnson raced from goal to reach a rather weakly struck back-pass from his skipper but succeeded only in tripping Adeisrael. However, Smith’s ensuing penalty strike was saved low to his left by the goalminder and in the following melee of legs, Johnson managed to grab the loose ball safely.

The Robins as an attacking flock…

Apart from having two low first-half shots from inside-right saved by Attwood, the second with a trusty right boot, Craine was fouled by Smith to earn a spot-kick and took it himself. He shot into the right corner of the net, as Attwood fell the other way. 

1-0...

Muanza and Ajayi saved Hibs with two fine defensive headers from the set-piece play of busy Robins’ midfielder Owain Taylor, who also drove a free-kick from 25 yards too high, lashed one ball across the penalty-box and saw a fine effort from inside-right superbly tipped over the crossbar by the athletic Attwood. 

Bennett drove too high and the battling Mullen screwed an effort wide of the left stick but the interval arrived with Hibs only a goal adrift, surprisingly.

Following the change-round, Palmer threatened with a couple of headers but Mullen was offered three decent chances to score but he poked an opportunity wide of the left post and saw two low shots blocked by Attwood from close range. 

When the deciding goal arrived it must have been satisfying, not so much for Palmer, the scorer, but for the young fellow who assisted his colleague, Callum Burston-Rinder-Keeley, who has been injured for so long…

Rinder leapt to nod a pass from fellow replacement Liam O’Donnell inside from the left and Palmer reacted well to lob a header over the stranded Attwood and deep into the Hibs’ net. 

2-0...

Rinder nearly netted too but a superb challenge at the left stick by dependable Hibs’ right-back Lee Mycroft denied him a desperately sought after goal…

The final words…

Verbally, desperately and enthusiastically coached from the sideline by The Featherstones, Hibs fought to the end and made the Robins scavenge for a passage to the next round of the Les James Cup. Subsequently though, their efforts fell some way short but that kind of defiant performance in League 3 will surely benefit the club.

Knowle, aka Seeley FC, will be pleased to progress, especially with so many starters absent but at least the management team will have noted the performances of their replacements. It was odd seeing skipper George Seeley playing in defence, for usually things spark off around him when he growls his way round the midfield trenches and leaves opponents prone on the turf in his wake, whilst threatening to score goals himself.

I missed that…

Images...

THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE NEXT ROUND GLARE AT THE ROBINS...

MULLEN (7, THOUGH LISTED AS 11 ON THE TEAMSHEET) MIGHT HAVE SCORED A COUPLE OF GOALS ON THE DAY...

SOMEONE'S BIKE HAS BEEN ERASED FROM THE IMAGE...

SCORER CRAINE (9) HAS REALISED THAT HE'S RUN PAST THE VERY PEOPLE HE WANTS TO BE CONGRATULATED BY, SO HE TURNS & RETRACES HIS STEPS TO RECEIVE THEIR ACCLAIM...

SMITH, LEFT: POWERFUL IN DEFENCE BUT WILL RUE HIS PENALTY MISS... 

SEELEY, RIGHT: STRAINING AT THE LEASH TO GET INTO MIDFIELD...
(HE WORE 4 BUT WAS LISTED AS 5 ON THE TEAMSHEET. DOES SOMEONE NOT LIKE ME, OR WHAT?)

THE REF HAS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE TO SORT OUT SOME SQUABBLING...

MORE SORTING TO DO. GIVES THE LEGS A REST, I GUESS...

NOT MORE TROUBLE, SURELY?

PLAMER WINS A HEADER...

THE REF HEARS A SCORE OF OPINIONS.
HE LIKELY MADE UP HIS OWN MIND...