PERSHORE TOWN 0-0 WORCESTER RAIDERS: THE MATCH REPORT & SOME IMAGES...

 Gymnastic Cox Denies Positive Raiders…

Pershore Town 0-0 Worcester Raiders

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

Close rivals, a decent crowd, no rain and a close encounter, although in truth Worcester were closer to scoring a winner, being denied by an upright and by Pershore’s athletic goalminder, Eddie Cox.

He produced four smart second period saves as the visitors created more danger than their hosts, although the result was on a knife-edge until the final moments. However, the Raiders’ midfield did seem to offer more creativity with the excellent Jack Cresswell at the heart of most of the good offense. He was supported eagerly by the industrious Harry Stratford but it was the manner in which the pair blended in with the attacking players which was often impressive on the night. 

THE TOSS...

Wide players Isaac Cooper and Bailey Fuller were quick and elusive, whilst  central striker Richard Smith was eager and the enigmatic Jordan Murphy was a tough forward to mark and indeed, on another evening, he might have netted more than once.

The Plums typically relied upon the steady prompting of Steve Webb but in all honesty, the service to Sean Brain, James Baldwin and the dangerous Josh Willis was spasmodic and Sam Clark was often forced to drop deeper to try to affect the match.

The contest was hugely watchable however, with both teams giving everything they had and in a sense it would have been unfortunate to see one team lose, Raiders because of the opportunities they had created and Pershore because of Cox’s four fine saves.

Eddie Cox… 

Not to beat about the bush, Cox is a showman, the kind of player  spectators love to watch and when he keeps goal, it’s an excuse for him to leap and spring about. I know the feeling, having been a 5-a-side goalie and a wicketkeeper for many years, offering me the chance to leap, dive and deal with flying balls too… 

Cox first dived up to his left to claw away a splendid shot from distance by Fuller, then dived right to turn away a rising shot from Stratford, before  pushing aside a low drive from downtown by the outstanding Cresswell and finally leaping left again to tip aside a measured curling shot from the disappointed Smith.

Just to emphasise my thought that Cox likes to leap, near the end an arm brushed against him and he threw himself spectacularly upwards and to the ground, like an Apache fighter falling from his horse in a 1950s movie… Nobody really noticed but I loved that.

The Raiders’ other offense…  

Before the interval Murphy was defended well on one occasion by Curtis Townley, a Cooper free-kick was blocked by the Persian wall, whilst Murphy’s near post glancing header, beating Townley to the ball, bounced against the right post and thus allowed Plum Petar Tonchev to hack the ball from his goal-line. 

Murphy also had a shot saved comfortably by Cox, another deflected for a corner and as the half ran down, he connected with another left-flank centre in front of Townley, only for this headed effort to rise too high. 

Apart from the shots which brought saves by Cox after the break, home skipper Jordan Adams jumped to nod a fine effort by Smith away to safety from the right post area, Cresswell drove too high from 25 yards, Townley did well to block an attack in front of goal, Murphy glanced a header wide and lively replacement Vanylson Silva struck a team-mate with a 10 yard effort.

Skipper Sam Carey drove a long shot off target too but a first period clearance by him clattered into a young lad standing behind the goal, which must have really upset the Worcester left-back… 

The attacking opportunities forged by the Plums…

An early Willis effort rolled wide, as did a Tonchev shot, defender Jyrel Bojang nodded wide at the right stick and Tonchev’s 25 yard free-kick drifted well over the target. A fine run by Willis was halted by ‘keeper Ryan Young’s grab but although so few chances came their way, the Plums did manage a good deal of possession, without subsequent threat.

Beyond the recess, Brain so nearly scored in the opening seconds, not quite being able to reach a low centre by Willis, following a clever run to the right byeline. Baldwin shot wide twice, two Adams headers bounced over the crossbeam, Willis shot wide again, whilst in a penalty-box scramble, both Willis and Baldwin had shots charged down. 

Young stopped an angled drive by Clark, who then made a great dribble, before firing just too high.

The final words…

A 0-0 draw is usually frustrating to watch but on this occasion there was much to admire and these two teams might just be dangers in the Hellenic Premier division. Certainly, Worcester looked confident and slick, backed by the strength in defence of Jordan Stoddart and sidekick Jake Donnelly. 

Carey was generally effective but right-back Jade Ferron often marauded quickly and decisively on his flank to support Fuller, causing problems for the hosts and leaving Baldwin and Alfie Bloomer to contend with two blustering Raiders.

Thanks to Pershore for the kind welcome, as always…  

Nice sunset too…

The images...

WARNINGS...

STRATFORD:"FOULED? REALLY?"

STODDART MANAGES A SMILE...

TOUGH LIGHT TO FILM IN...

WORCESTER COMPLAIN ABOUT A FREE-KICK DECISION...

COX LIKES TO GET ON ANY PHOTO, ANYTIME...

IS SOMEONE BREAKING WIND HERE?

STODDART IS PENALISED FOR THIS CHALLENGE ON BRAIN, THE ONE STRATFORD WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT ABOVE...

THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS MUST BE FROM HELL, THEN...

A YOUNG LAD TAKES A CAREY CLEARANCE IN THE MIDRIFF...