Dour Battle In Enduring Drizzle Ends In Stalemate…
Cinderford Town 2-2 Mousehole AFC
The Mowdog’s thoughts…
There was persistent, if light drizzle on a dull and dank afternoon in Cinderford and pleasingly four goals but in truth the contest was troubling to spectate. There were so few attempts at goal that the overriding memories of the encounter included Mousehole’s attempts to pass the ball, which they did smartly on occasions but their lack of accuracy when making a penetrative final pass was telling. Even free-kicks were regularly played short and often ended up with central defenders Max Hill and Mo Konte in possession in their own half, despite the set-pieces starting much further forward.
Physically, Cinderford were superior, although several challenges were treated lightly by the referee who riled the Seagulls with some of his interpretations. The Foresters won a lot of aerial duels, mainly through central striker Alex Bonthron who performed well and then later through replacement Michael Symons. Hill and Konte played decently enough for Mousehole but the team’s defence was susceptible in the air which must have frustrated manager Jake Ash, a solid defender as a player for Truro City, who I saw play twice for the Tinners in victories at Cinderford in the 2008-09 season.
The direct running at Mousehole’s defence by Cinderford after the interval prevented the visitors from gaining any real control of the contest and really, home goalie Joel Manning was rarely called into action.
Several times the ball was turned over by both teams in skirmishes in midfield which were hurried, careless and downright ugly, although Mousehole still persisted with their possession game whenever possible. Passes became even more inaccurate as the match wore on though and in all honesty, a point apiece was probably the fairest outcome of an industrial clash.
Opportunities worth mentioning…
Hmm, this shouldn’t take up much space…
After the Seagulls had equalised Bonthron’s goal for the Foresters, a long boot through the middle by the guests, a rare occurrence, saw Hayden Turner go clear but he was denied well by the advancing Manning.
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| MANNING SAVES FROM TURNER... |
Oddly, immediately after Turner had netted to nudge his team 1-2 ahead, he was slipped in by Torin Ntege’s pass at inside-left but again Manning raced out to block the Mousehole striker’s shot.
A few wildly off-target efforts from downtown by both teams are not even worth mentioning and AFC gloveman Ollie Chenoweth was only called upon to collect a Dale Evans free-kick and tame efforts by Bonthron and Blaine Waugh. Waugh had performed as a pantomime villain during the match, winding up opponents and officials alike. He did it so well, though… Oh, yes, he did…
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| CHENOWETH PUNCHES CLEAR... |
A downward header by Noah Coates was scrambled clear by Mousehole’s Julio Fresnada at his left upright, late in the encounter but otherwise, Hill and Konte largely stifled their opponents’ efforts.
Ah, the officials…
Mousehole’s players and coaches felt hard done by, as small niggly incidents littered the game, with Cinderford eager to spoil their guests’ game plan. Indeed, a linesperson gave the hosts the free-kick which brought their 75th minute equaliser, despite the fact that the referee, who was closer to the incident, apparently saw nothing.
Throw-ins were interesting to witness too, for a couple of times the ball wasn’t even held behind the head of the thrower, right in front of a linesperson. One time, the thrower just dropped the ball against a colleague’s back to regain possession but that was deemed agreeable…
Admittedly, Mousehole allowed their frustrations to affect their performance but subsequently, Cinderford lasted the pace, forced AFC to defend desperately near the end and with some strong rushes from midfield, rather showed up Mousehole’s dearth of penetration.
The goals…
1-0:
A neat flicked pass over Jordan Hackett by the nippy Marley Thomas, freed Waugh to the right byeline to get in a centre, despite Tallan Mitchell’s attempt to block. However, it was clear that Mousehole were in disarray, for Bonthron was totally alone at the far stick to almost apologetically nod the ball down into an empty net. Five defenders were in the vicinity but none were marking the goalscorer, as Cinderford’s Miles Corson lurked nearby too.
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| WAUGH'S CENTRE... |
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| ...IS HEADED IN BY BONTHRON... |
1-1…
A break into the left side of the penalty-box by Turner and his low delivery across the face of goal beat Manning and was bundled into the net at the far upright by the onrushing Oli Challinor who had rather a quiet game otherwise. Home defender Joe Keeping crashed into the post as he attempted to defend Turner’s centre and he was forced to retire from the match.
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| TURNER'S CENTRE... |
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| ...CHALLINOR'S FINISH... |
1-2…
Challinor managed to cross left-booted from the right flank but Turner’s attempt to bundle in a shot near the upright was patted away by Manning, only for Turner to fight for possession with a slipping defender and he managed to turn on the ball to fire an angled rising drive high past the helpless goalminder.
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| TURNER SWIVELS TO SHOOT MOUSEHOLE AHEAD... |
2-2…
A right-side free-kick saw Chris Bell shrug off Ryan Barrett’s attentions and rise superbly in front of Ntege to send a header flashing high into the left side of the net from a few yards out.
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| EVANS' FREE-KICK... |
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| ...& BELL'S FLYING HEADER HITS THE NET FOR 2-2... |
The final words…
Battling Cinderford stunted Mousehole’s regular neatness in midfield where Mitchell, Fresnada and Ross Derham struggled to free their forwards. Turner was offered little scope as the central striker and Challinor was rarely able to threaten, whilst although Ntege worked hard for his team, rarely was he able to do his work in advanced positions.
Bell and Ismail Yakubu, alongside Josh Jones were determined in the home defence and ‘keeper Manning used his height to good advantage when the occasional corner was floated across by Turner.
Home skipper Evans had been instrumental in foraging for his team but had been pulled up, warned and ultimately cautioned for his over zealous, if effective challenges. Late on though, another wild challenge earned him a red card which Mousehole were unable to capitalise upon for the remaining five minutes and six more of added time…
The drizzle continued, the drive back to Solihull was slowed by a nasty looking crash on the M50 but the eggs and chips for dinner were worth waiting for…
I’m in Cornwall, next week and will see Mousehole again, this time at home against Bristol Manor Farm…
