HAMPTON FC 1-1 AFC COVENTRY RANGERS... The Mowdog's independent view...

 A Point Apiece At The Charred Boggery…

Hampton FC 1-1 AFC Coventry Rangers

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

Couldn’t help wondering what Jasper Carrot might have thought about the charred remains of The Boggery, Hampton FC’s club room and facilities… Arsonists… Nasty human beings… And I believe that there was a break-in there recently too. Life even at non-league level is becoming sadder. And sadder…

Hampton’s well designed shipping container has become a temporary changing room, whilst visiting teams use facilities at a nearby cricket club, before the players emerge through a hedge to cut across pitch 2 at Field Lane ready for kick-off. Understandably, Rangers stayed around their own dugout for the half-time drinks and discussions. 

However, this match began so poorly that it was a shock when visiting ‘keeper Jack Hartopp was forced into a fine save by home forward Hayden Froggatt, which proved a trigger for the hosts to take the lead. A low left-side centre by Seivwright had been driven first time at the near post by Froggatt who had lost his marker but Hartopp’s reflexes turned the ball away superbly. Suddenly, all of the misplaced passes, sliced kicks and NFL punts faded into the memory as Tom Mitchell fired Hampton ahead prior to the interval. 

But wait, after striking the base of a post through midfielder Charlie Hyman, Rangers struck back through skipper Jordan Powell, whose header regained parity before the recess was taken.

The lethargy was gone and after the break both teams might have won the contest but off-target shots, the frame of the Hampton goal and another superb save by Hartopp, again from Froggatt, saw the game end 1-1…

Individuals who affected the game memorably… 

Certainly Hartopp but Coventry defender Curtis Cutts will be remembered for his outrageous outside of left boot cross-field pass to the feet of Joe Gardner on the right flank. Gardener’s resulting left-footed centre was nodded into the net by the aerially able Powell at the near post, easily out-jumping the mismatched but combative home defender Jason Albini, who performed with some real pluck throughout. 

GARDNER ASSISTS...

POWELL LEAPS...

...& SCORES...

1-1 NOW...

That goal equalised Hampton’s effort some minutes previously and it was the typically impressive Cam Seivwright who assisted Mitchell at inside-left and the forward’s low left-footer beat Hartopp.

MITCHELL SHOOTS LOW...

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

JOY FOR THE HOSTS...

Cutts though should be mentioned for three fine interventions after the half-time stoppage which prevented Hampton from perhaps adding a goal or two. I won’t mention Cutts’ miscued back-pass though because Hampton fluffed their lines anyway and in truth, who cares?

Home left-back Alex Birch was heavily involved for his team and used his left boot admirably when set-pieces cropped up.

Froggatt was a menace for most of the contest with his willing running in possession, his speed and of course his shooting and but for Hartopp he might have won the match in the final moments. His curling shot from inside-left was really well reached by the acrobatic Hartopp, who turned the ball over his left angle. I had such a good view of that save…

THAT FINE HARTOPP SAVE LATE IN THE MATCH...
I WAS HOPING THE BALL WOULD FLY TO ME SO I COULD HEAD IT BACK. IT DIDN'T REACH ME...

The missed opportunities for Hampton…

Before the 15 minute rest, Seivwright’s lunging header from beyond the far left post flew wide and a second Mitchell shot was shovelled past his left stick by Hartopp, as if he was ushering a particularly smelly dog out of the kitchen door after it had broken wind. After half-time, a low Froggatt touch rolled across the face of goal and both Mitchell and the often impressive Jamie Mudie drove too high, before Mitchell shot wide from a promising position.

A few other shots were blocked as Cutts, George Swain, James Ritson and Owen Suddick in the Coventry defence grunted, growled and gritted their teeth in defiance.

The Rangers offense…

As aforementioned, a low angled effort before the break by Hynam popped against the far right vertical pole but Powell fired a shot wide too, before his header regained parity.

During the second period, despite striker Andy Matthews’ busy play and occasional clever flicks, the chances befell Powell and three Rangers replacements, Connoll Farrell, Alpha Wurie and Pete Bailey. Powell nudged a shot wide of the near right post then Bailey rattled the outside of the right angle of crossbeam and post from a daft angle on the right flank of downtown but Matthews didn’t shoot from the rebound, instead setting up the tricky Wurie who blazed a shot off target. 

Farrell shot wide of the same right upright and was also denied when home goalie Conor Bashford advanced and saved at his feet, before finally Powell was denied by a defensive block and from the ensuing melee drove off target, again past the right stick..

The final words…

I guess from the independent view, either team might have won the game but maybe both teams would have felt hard done by had they subsequently lost the encounter.

It was wet on the long grass around my feet, a heron flew across pitch two when I arrived and a sparrowhawk flew behind me at half-time, both of which I appreciated more than the constant taking off of aircraft from Brum’s airport. The Emirates airliner was actually very low in the sky… 

I hope that Hampton’s facilities can be rebuilt soon but until then, they will surely carry on regardless…

Thanks to the Field Lane staff for the kind welcome, as always…