Penalised ‘Gate Exit the FA Cup…
Hinckley AFC 3-1 Highgate United…
The Mowdog’s thoughts…
A much-changed Gate squad competed well enough at Kirkby Road, without really displaying the kind of finishing some of their strong and quick approach play deserved.
Home goalie Divin Emmanuel, an awkward sliced clearance in the opening moments apart, wasn’t really threatened much at all, despite some pacy movement by Randy Osei, Kyle Hayden, Ethan Bracher and Bassit Mandey. Too often though shots flew way too high or were skewed wide of the target but eventually, in added time at the end of the tie, Mandey drilled a low shot past Emmanuel from inside-right. This was a piece of the action which my camera chose not to record with clarity in the bright sunlight over the stadium.
The hosts forced several decent saves from Gate’s Kobi Brooks however, both Riley Davoile and Joe Obi being foiled by the leaping goalie, who also raced from goal to deny Josh Beeson. The AFC winger had already scored the opening goal for the hosts on 8 minutes, converting easily from a low Bryan Kohyrelon centre. Beeson was soon only just too high with a decent lob too, as Brooks advanced from goal.
Kohyrelon was then tripped by Dylan Hayes, allowing Zach Tellyn to fire AFC 2-0 ahead, although the ‘keeper so nearly kept the effort out, diving down to his left.
After the interval, another penalty was awarded to Hinckley, which looked surprisingly harsh on Gate but Brooks was sent the wrong way by Tellyn this time and scored with some ease.
Battling Highgate still attacked when they could but until Mandey scored at the death, their shooting continued to be wayward.
Things which took the eye…
A fine defensive performance by Gate’s skipper Dom Savolainen was certainly a highlight, with one block in front of his own goal particularly well executed, but right-sided defender James Richardson also put in a strong shift, getting forward with aplomb on occasions.
Ethan Bracher at 10, was busy and undaunted but the faultless running and sheer effort of central striker Osei, without reward, has to be complimented.
Hinckley were well served by Tellyn, apart from his brace of penalties and several times the rushes of Kohyrelon caused some concern for the Highgate defence. Beeson was often quick and tricky and might have scored a second goal for himself after the break but he couldn’t quite get onto the end of one low left-flank centre.
Harry Walker-Donovan battled well enough in the trenches for Hinckley and skipper Zaki Evans often rallied his team with some sterling midfield industry.
The final words…
Certainly more chances were created by the hosts and Brooks made more saves than Emmanuel but in truth Gate were always in the contest, even at 3-0 down. Although their consolation goal came so late, they deserved it and their coaches would surely have been fairly pleased by some of the offensive approach work manufactured on a warm afternoon in Barwell…
 |
| THE VIEW... |
 |
| THE BARWELL FLAG... |
 |
| THE BODGING & THE PYDOG LOOK COMFORTABLE IN THE BOARDROOM... |
 |
| LISTENING... |
 |
| HIGHGATE HUDDLE, MINUS THE SKIPPER... |
 |
| THE START... |
 |
| PULISCIANO: STILL AT THE GATE... |
 |
| DAVOILE LINES UP A FREE-KICK... |
 |
| BEESON HAS OPENED THE SCORING... |
 |
| OSEI (9): A LIVELY GAME FOR UNITED... |
 |
| 2-0 NOW... |
 |
| ...& TELLYN (RIGHT) IS THE SCORER... |
 |
| EMMANUEL HAS TAKEN A KNOCK... |
 |
| BROOKS: SEVERAL FINE SAVES... |
 |
| THE SECOND PERIOD BEGINS... |
 |
| A WORD IN PULISCIANO'S EAR... |
 |
| 3-0: ANOTHER TELLYN SPOT-KICK... |
 |
| MANDEY (7): NETTED LATE FOR THE GATE... |
 |
| BROOKS NEARLY KEEPS OUT TELLYN'S FIRST PENALTY... |
 |
| ...BUT NOT HIS SECOND...... |
 |
| AN OFFSIDE FLAG HAS BEEN RAISED... |
 |
| ...BUT BROOKS MAKES A SMART SAVE ANYWAY... |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.