KNOWLE FC 7-0 INKBERROW FC: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Rampant Robins Put Inkberrow To The Beak…

Knowle FC 7-0 Inkberrow FC

DAVIES & CLARKE MEET THE MEN IN BLACK...

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

It rained at Knowle and duly dampened Inkberrow’s hopes of causing an upset against the league leaders, for seven goals were scored by the in-form Robins and a number of other opportunities were scorned. 

Strikers Jay Rendell and Tom Craine nabbed braces on the day but on Bonfire weekend, it was midfield sparkler Toby Scott who lit the touch-paper, scoring the opening goal and playing elusively, creatively and effectively, even displaying one outrageous back-heel, as well as a pair of fashionable gloves. I wonder what he will wear when the weather gets cold…

ADVERTISING IS A GREAT THING...

Scott’s fellow midfielders Dylon Bennett and Liam O’Donnell were very influential too, for Bennett was like a vacuum cleaner, sucking up loose balls and spewing out his passes wisely, whilst O’Donnell cavorted in midfield like he had a bonfire in his belly. The trio dominated midfield and with Rendell and Craine causing all sorts of problems for the packed Inkberrow defence, visiting ‘keeper Jumpin’ Jack Turner was afforded a tough, busy afternoon. He performed pretty well on the whole too… 

Home full-backs Owain Taylor and Reece Staley supported their forwards well, whilst Adam Bourn was busy throughout and deserved his late goal, netted with aplomb. 

The guests did threaten but only on five occasions, three times before the break and just twice after the recess. An early fine tackle by Robin Rob Shaw on Josh McKeown was crucial and then home goalie Craig Johnson made a double save from George Thomas. He advanced to save Thomas’ first effort then sprang upwards like a flame from a Roman Candle to turn aside the striker’s rebound header. Midfielder Barnett drove too high before the break but after half-time, only a Chris Parish header wide and another save by Johnson at George Thomas’ feet caused Knowle any worries at all. 

The home defenders Shaw and skipper Lewis Clarke were largely untroubled as the Robins dominated their opponents and enhanced their goal-difference…

The Knowle offense…  

Before the recess, Scott and Bourn had been denied in a goalmouth melee and Craine had leapt unchallenged to head a Bennett corner against the left upright from 8 yards and those two chances came between the only goals scored in the opening period.

First, Rendell’s shot was blocked, the ball flew to the 18 yard line and Craine slipped the ball right to the supporting Scott, who drilled a low shot past the helpless Turner from 12 yards, right of centre.

SCOTT SHOOTS THE ROBINS AHEAD...

The second goal was another header from Taylor's cross by Craine, who jumped at the near post to head downwards, an effort which Turner was unable to keep out with a foot…

CRAINE'S SCORING HEADER WOULD BE A DOWNWARD ONE, SURPRISINGLY...

Otherwise in the first 45, Rendell had a shot deflected onto the left stick and another palmed over the crossbar by the beleaguered Turner, whilst a Craine drive struck Turner’s legs. Turner fumbled a Scott shot but managed to deny Bourn a goal from the rebound, Taylor drove a free-kick from downtown too high and after Inky midfielder Harvey Marshall did well to cut out an assist by Craine from the left, Bennett’s drive from distance struck the harassed goalkeeper’s legs.

After the interval, Rendell drove well off target twice and later skied a promising rebound, after Bourn’s low drive had been saved well by Turner using his legs again. However, by then the Robins were out of sight…

Clarke rose like a Moonshiner Fountain firework to nod a left-flank Bennett corner into the right corner of the net, before Scott’s low shot was saved falling left by Turner and from replacement Lewis Rainey’s centre, Craine imitated a Catherine wheel to fling himself through the air and head wide of the goal-frame.

CLARKE'S HEADER HAS HIT THE NET...

Bourn then slipped a smart pass through the middle for the bustling Rendell to latch onto and he slotted a neat finish past the advancing Turner for 4-0.

FINALLY, A GOAL FOR RENDELL...

The same pair combined for goal five, as Bourn’s low right-side centre was only nudged away by an Inky defender but straight to Rendell, lurking 12 yards out, left of centre and as isolated as Guido Fawkes must have felt in the depths of the Houses of Parliament all those centuries ago… Rendell produced a banger, striking it hard and true into the bottom right corner of the net…

RENDELL SMACKS IN HIS SECOND...

O’Donnell tumbled over when challenged by visiting skipper Davies, a bit like a Guy Fawkes model toppling over in a gust wind after having leaned on a garden wall for several hours but it was enough to earn the Robins a spot-kick. Clarke was urging Rendell to take it and maybe secure a hat-trick but Craine grabbed the ball and scored goal six… Only just though, for Turner fell right, the ball bounced off his upper leg across towards the right side of goal and trickled into the net like a damp squib… 

CRAINE'S SPOT-KICK GOES IN OFF TURNER...

The final goal stemmed from a fine long pass out towards the left by Scott to Rendell, whose centre was nodded on from a crouching position by substitute Ben Jones to the feet of the onside Bourn, who planted his shot past the totally helpless Turner in a relieved and emphatic manner.  

THE FINAL GOAL, SCORED BY BOURN...

The final words…

Certainly Turner did well enough in goals for the Inkies but the marking of Rendell and Craine in particular was often lax in front of him, although there was no lack of effort by the team, for whom George Thomas was tireless, although he would later be binned for sinning. Barnett and Marshall were industrious in midfield throughout. 

The game was won by the Knowle midfield however and again the Robins won by quite a margin, despite missing players like George Seeley, forwards Jack Mullen and Nathan Corry, plus defender Christian McArdle, whilst left-back Joe Riddiford made several fine rushes when he appeared as a second period replacement.

There were no fireworks from the Seeeleyclan on the sideline however but then again, when leading by so many goals and not conceding any again, I guess it’s sensible not to douse the flames when they are burning so hot…