The Mowdog On The Road...: July 2024

Wednesday 31 July 2024

YARNINGALE COMMON, WARWICKSHIRE, 31ST JULY 2024...

A MUNTJAC GETS AWAY...

TEMPLE BALSALL, 30TH JULY 2024...

DEFIANT SCAVENGING AMONGST THE DETRITUS... (My newest poem about the Temple Balsall badgers...)

Defiant Scavenging Amongst The Detritus…

There was a wait. A late beam of sunlight

Glimmered upon a sapling and unseen sheep bleated

But around the setts there was no movement.

Upon dried out soil, twisted and broken twigs lay awry

Amongst a scattering of unearthed trash, old deep brown

Beer bottles, cast off house bricks and withered weeds…

The sun’s golden strips soon faded from sight

And four badgers, their underground sojourn completed,

Appeared, rather hesitatingly in that moment.

Despite the warning sounds of a bicycle and of passers-by,

One adult stood its ground, defiant, staring the lane down,

Then settled back to scavenge and satisfy its needs…

Pete Ray

30th July 2024…

A warm evening and one badger would not be shifted from its foraging position, whilst the others scattered into setts.

The ground was littered by detritus, the copse having once been a tip for human trash.

The voice of a dog walker saw the badger retreat but it was soon evident again, resisting the urge to leave its gratuitous meal…

ALERT POSITIVITY... (My new poem about the badgers at Temple Balsall...)

Alert Positivity…

Just a head. Inquisitive, assertive.

Woodland warmth discernible, tolerable.

Wren dithers between leafy branches,

Aircraft drones above and magpies sweep

Between trees, announcing their presence

With typical clacking fanfare.

Just one head, one badger, duly attentive…

Sunlight, a strip of sinewy gold, passive,

Flickers across its back, gleaming, malleable.

Eager, from its sett it quickly ventures,

Feeding, scrabbling, wary. Then from deep

Between trees, announcing their presence

With typical watchful fanfare,

Three other badgers appear, hungrily furtive…

Pete Ray

30th July 2024…

Badgers at Temple Balsall, 28th July 2024…

Tuesday 30 July 2024

HINCKLEY AFC 0-1 AYLESTONE PARK: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT REPORT & REVEALING SCREENSHOTS...

Warring Contest Won By Peace…

Hinckley AFC 0-1 Aylestone Park

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

An early dismissal for AFC’s skipper Zak Evans ruined this match as a contest, leaving Hinckley shorthanded and surviving, a situation compounded when winger Zach Tellyn was sin-binned during the second period. Players from each team, Jack Edwards of AFC and Charley Kilburn of Aylestone were also red-carded during the second 45, following an unpleasant clash in front of the grandstand.

Certainly, Park dominated possession with patience but until the break neared they had been unable to break down a spirited and resolute Hinckley defence, superbly led by Joe Obi, who, amongst others made stunning blocks.

Before the winning goal was scored, the visitors had seen a low shot by Corey Bucalossi blocked at the near post by home goalie Divin Emmanuel, who then stopped efforts by Sam Hollis and Marshal Keenan, who nodded over too from a decent position. Obi blocked a Hollis drive, the industrious Pearson Mwanyongo fired too high and an indirect free-kick taken four yards back from the actual incident, on the left corner of the 6 yard box, saw Park skipper Jake Duffy’s effort blocked heroically.

EMMANUEL HANDLES DLIONGA'S BACK-PASS...

...BUT THE FREE-KICK IS TAKEN SOME YARDS BACK...

So, a measured half of possession had been orchestrated by the guests, which culminated in a crucial right-flank corner. Clearly, Park’s attacker Corey Armeni, standing on the goal-line grabbed Emmanuel’s jersey as the flag-kick was taken and actually prevented the ‘keeper from moving, as well as being in an offside position as Peace’s header passed by them both into the net. Interesting…

ARMENI YANKS EMMANUEL'S SHIRT...

...& IS ALSO OFFSIDE & IMPEDING EMMANUEL AS PEACE'S HEADER GOES INTO GOAL...

Following the interval, the Aylestone domination began to break down slightly and in truth, Hinckley really might have snatched an unlikely point late on, which would surely have embarrassed Aylestone, who missed several more chances as a spectacular sunset appeared over the stadium.

Keenan was denied by Emmanuel’s plunge at his feet, then he had a free-kick saved too, although replacement Evandro Sanches’ rebound was miscued into the fallen gloveman’s arms. Two efforts by the comfortable in possession Bucalossi drifted just off target and Emmanuel dived to turn aside a fine angled effort by Mwanyongo.

Interestingly though, a break at inside-left by AFC changed the dynamics of the encounter, for Park’s left-back Andres Articolo raced across the pitch to take out AFC’s Josh Beeson and earned himself a caution, despite the Hinckley players and fans screaming for a red card. Tellyn was subsequently sent out for 10 minutes and the ensuing free-kick from downtown by Riley Davoille was smartly tipped over the crossbar by Park’s goalminder Josh Wormleighton.

WORMLEIGHTON TIPS DAVOILE'S FREE-KICK OVER THE CROSSBEAM...

Unbelievably, Hinckley missed three opportunities in the latter stages of the match. First an unchallenged headed effort by Beeson was inaccurate and wide of the left stick, Obi, also unchallenged, nudged an effort wide of the right post and finally, in the dying seconds, home left-back Adam Barber somehow forced a free header past the left angle of crossbar and upright…

The memorable moments…

As an independent watcher, it was interesting that when Evans tackled Articolo, sliding and sending the ball careering over the sideline, most of the Park players raced across to the incident in a display of disdain, which placed the referee, further away from the incident than one of his assistants, in a tough position. He chose to show a red card to Evans and effectively ruined a promising contest, whether rightly or wrongly, but he also left himself in a very awkward position and under severe pressure. He clearly irritated Hinckley’s players, coaching staff and supporters on more than one occasion, as AFC battled to keep Park at bay.

The goal left questions to be answered by the officials too, despite the fact that in essence, Aylestone deserved to take the points from the chances created and the possession enjoyed following the dismissal of Evans…

Duffy, Mwanyongo, Keenan, Bucalossi and Armeni were all heavily involved in the Park offense, especially the skipper who was afforded so much space in the central midfield.

Hinckley’s defensive showing was actually remarkable, with Obi well supported by Jay DLionga, Barber and Oliwier Szymanski, all backed by the reactions of Emmanuel between the vertical poles…