MEADOW PARK 1-2 CASTLE VALE TOWN: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT, PLUS IMAGES...

 Vale Rise Above The Untidiness To Snatch Deserved Late Win…

Meadow Park 1-2 Castle Vale Town

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This really was a poor game for the most part and it was only after the break when the Spitfires fought back from a 0-1 half-time deficit that they, rather than their toothless hosts at least managed some efforts at goal. Central striker Jordan McKenzie was the most effective forward on view, for apart from his brace of goals, he also forced two low first period saves from home goalminder Owen Hancox, then after the recess he flicked wide at the near post from a set-piece and powered two efforts well off target. 

Park managed little effective offense throughout the encounter and four of their attempts at goal were made in the opening 45 by their number 9 Dan Lowe. Before scoring, he had already nodded too high from the left post area and had fired an angled shot against the outside of the right stick. After his goal, he rounded the Vale ‘keeper Alex Bowen to the left but shot his right-footer tamely into the side netting. 

After the break, two weak shots by Harvey Neath and the effective, industrious Jacob Waterfield were collected by Bowen and just before McKenzie grabbed the winner for Vale, frustrated home forward Ellis Blakemore headed over the target from an unmarked position.

At parity, the guests saw solid skipper Jordan Redden head a set-piece wide at the left upright, Luke Smith miscue a low right-flank centre and dangerous winger Idris Oyeniyi shoot straight at the increasingly frustrated home gloveman Hancox from downtown…

The three goals…

A not well-struck low shot by home winger Dan Jarvis from 20 yards went to Redden but before he could clear, 12 yards out, he was mugged by Lowe,  who shot low (obviously…) past the advancing but helpless Bowen.   

1-0...

The equaliser stemmed from decent play on the left-wing by the speedy and clever Oyeniyi, who measured his release from near the byeline, for McKenzie had dropped off the two home central defenders, allowing him to convert easily from a couple of yards out. Park’s Alfie Taylor and Bailey Eades were likely looking towards the winger as he approached the near post and thus McKenzie had stolen free… 

1-1...

The winner, as the match was degenerating into a stale contest, came from a flicked header by replacement Chris Tabberner, wearing 16, who beat Park’s number 16 Billy Sample and the ball ran into the penalty-box, allowing McKenzie to fight off the challenge of Jack Sutcliffe and then turn him well, before shooting low past the angry Hancox…

1-2...

Vale celebrated wildly, with McKenzie behaving like a pointing teacher, standing in front of a class of Key Stage 1 children, explaining how it was done… Nice.

The final words…  

A tough watch was made interesting by the dramatic last-gasp winner by the pink-booted McKenzie and the subsequent celebration but in truth the match generally lacked creativity, excitement and thrills. Certainly Meadow Park suffered a bad day on the grass but despite trailing at the break, Vale at least sorted themselves out and made most of the second period running. 

Home midfielder Waterfield was clearly his team’s most effective performer but Mason Taylor, the skipper seemed quiet throughout, as his forwards failed to ignite, despite Lowe’s first-half efforts at goal. Blakemore was unable to affect the game much and main striker Connor Powell, who was on the bench for the game, was introduced too late to become a factor.

The home defence was leaky, missing several long balls forward by Vale and putting themselves and Hancox under extreme pressure…

The visitors must surely hand their MVP award to McKenzie, although to be fair, the busy Ensa Jarju was non-stop in midfield and forward Oyeniyi was a threat on a number of occasions. 

Most of the Spitfires worked really hard but the antics of their forwards, McKenzie and Oyeniyi proved more effective than the sum of the achievements of the home forwards. Vale had more goal attempts and better opportunities and it was fitting that they took the honours. Just about…

However, the officials didn’t do that well, making errors, lacking communication at times and confusing the players and their coaches several times. A clearly defined back-header by Alfie Taylor went out for a Vale corner, which the lines-person close by flagged as a goal-kick, whilst the nearby referee hadn’t clocked it at all.

Home left-back Sam Green-Jeffries was cautioned late on for a challenge on McKenzie, which had been no worse than any number of other challenges by players of both teams, then Green-Jeffries tried to clear the ball with Tabberner nearby, the Spitfire dropped like a shot-down fighter ‘plane and a free-kick was awarded to Vale. Then the referee sauntered across to the lines-person, spoke for several moments and suddenly called both Green-Jeffries and skipper Mason Taylor towards him. A yellow card was followed by a red one and Green-Jeffries was dismissed. Mason Taylor spoke keenly to the flagman, wondering why he had ‘changed his mind’ but to no avail…

That officiating word had reared its ugly head again: consistency…

Well, a lack of it… 

Images...

BLAKEMORE (10): TOO FEW CHANCES TO SCORE...

THE GREEN-JEFFRIES CAUTION...

"WHAT NOW, REF?"

SO, WHOSE DOG IS THAT?

THE TOSS...

MCKENZIE & EADES...

REF: "WELL, MY ASSISTANT & I HAVE NOW DECIDED THAT WE DON'T LIKE YOU, MR GREEN-JEFFRIES, SO WE ARE GONNA SHOW YOU ANOTHER YELLOW CARD & DISMISS YOU..."

PARK FACE ANOTHER FREE-KICK...

THE LEAP...

ANOTHER LEAP...