FC PREMIER 1-4 BILBROOK: THE MOWDOG'S HONEST, INDEPENDENT REPORT WITH SCREENSHOTS OF THE GOALS...

 Bright Outfoxes The Promise Of Premier…

FC Premier 1-4 Bilbrook

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

A male fox has been visiting my Shirley garden almost every night recently and so when I arrived at Ray Hall Lane to cover the above West Midlands Regional League Division 2 match I spotted a fox as it stole through some long grass.  It paused for a moment to watch Bilbrook warming up and I was more than a little surprised.

However, rather like the resident fox efficiently filching meat from the ground-feeder in my back garden, Bilbrook proceeded to be clinical at FC Premier, scoring four times at crucial times during a game in which the hosts had often been the more industrious outfit and they had certainly claimed more possession.

Indeed, it was a surprise when the visitors regained parity before the interval with a fine free-kick by left-sided defender Lewis Winfindale, who later warmed FC goalie Aidan Smith’s palms with another free-kick from downtown as half-time neared. Bilbrook swiftly added a second goal on a break but after the recess, FC fought hard for an equaliser.

Callum Bright had assisted Taylor Pollitt for the second Bils’ goal but during the second 45 a crucial piece of defence by the forward prevented an equaliser being scored by FC. He intervened after Romone Brown’s header had been saved by his plunging ‘keeper Owen Humphreys and made a goal-line tackle on hovering FC forward Joseph Noel. Soon afterwards he netted goal three for his team, predating clinically when Pollitt returned a favour and assisted him to score from close range.

THAT CHALLENGE BY BRIGHT, FAR RIGHT...

A fourth goal by midfielder Suar Dedja, who was often clever in possession and very influential for his team, killed the game late on but in truth, so many substitutions had been made that the contest had become rather untidy and careless by then.

Home gloveman Smith really didn’t have too much else to do but in fairness, despite some energetic play by FC, visiting goalminder Humphreys wasn’t extended often either.

The first-half goals scored…

Brown’s goal for FC stemmed from his own neat pass towards the right, where the galloping right-defenseman Ibrahima Diallo was making one of his many surges. I mistakenly thought that the ball had just gone over the touchline but when Diallo’s low centre found its way into the penalty-box, Brown was there to turn the ball past Humphreys and into the bottom right corner of the net.

BROWN STRIKES...

...& IT'S 1-0...

FC’s Matt Barnes had already nodded wide and later in the first period Brown headed too high but the ruthless manner in which the Bils subsequently responded was fox-like in its clinical predatory style. A 19 yard free-kick, right of centre was lashed, rising into the home net past a helpless Smith, then from Bils’ skipper Conal Smith’s long pass from defence, Bright remained onside, ran at the home defence into the right side of the 18 yard box and his low delivery across the 6 yard box was easily converted by the supporting Pollitt.

WINFINDALE'S FREE-KICK...

...BEATS SMITH FOR 1-1...

BRIGHT GETS AWAY...

...FEEDS POLLITT...

...& IT'S 1-2...

After the break… 

Until the guests scored their third and fourth goals, FC had laboured hard to regain parity but rarely managed to get past the tall frame of Jake Farley-Moss in particular, whose heading and powerful punted clearances were invaluable for his team. Humphreys had to make the aforementioned save from Brown’s header, which led to Bright’s fine tackle on Noel but although Brown headed another chance off target, the only other real problem for Humphreys was an awkward tip away of a fine centre from the left by FC replacement Tyrann Burgess.

And then the foxy Bils struck…

First, the Bils defended some FC pressure, Farley-Moss typically cleared the ball and eventually Dedja nodded the ball on for deep lying forward Owen Walker to latch onto. The number 9 fed Pollitt on the left flank and he raced towards the byeline, centred low and there was Bright to lift the ball high into the net from close range, with the home defence in total disarray.

POLLITT'S ASSIST...

...& BRIGHT SCORES FOR 1-3...

Another home attack was then thwarted but FC substitute Callum Taylor miscued Farley-Moss’ headed clearance on the 18 yard line and Bils’ replacement Godspower Johnson quickly passed the ball forward to fellow substitute Darragh O’Connor. His flick led to the hardworking home skipper Alex Bowen being blocked near the half-way line and the ball bounced kindly for the rampaging Dedja, who raced on with gusto and deftly beat the advancing Smith to complete the scoring…

AWAY GOES DEDJA...

...& IT'S 1-4...

The final words…

No shortage of effort by Premier that’s for sure but with the often neat footwork of Dedja, the quickness of Bright and the powerful defending of Farley-Moss, Sam Edwards, Dan Saville and Lewis Bradley, the visitors seemed, like a lurking fox outside a chicken coop, to threaten danger on occasions.

The hosts did well enough in many areas, for Reagan Heard and Jamie Priddey were often lively and creative, whilst Brown, Noel and less often Lehlogonolo-Mpota Mashita, were willing attackers for their team. Diallo was generally the incisive player for his team however but his colleagues were unable to match the Bils’ clinical finishing…

The fox disappeared, as did I and of course, the Shirley fox not only reappeared in my garden last night but whilst writing this report it has just taken another look round, before disappearing over a 6-foot fence…

Many thanks for the kind welcome from FC, for which I was really grateful…