ALCESTER TOWN 1-2 SHREWSBURY UP & COMERS: THE MATCH REPORT + SCREENSHOTS...

 Late Morris Poke Steals The Plunder From The Romans…

Alcester Town 1-2 Shrewsbury Up & Comers…

(West Mercia Cup Final @ Ludlow Town FC…)

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

All things considered, the Comers were worthy winners of the West Mercia Cup, despite trailing to an Adam Bourn goal at the break and only netting their crucial winning goal late in the tie.

Certainly, Shrewsbury looked the more composed team, passing the ball comfortably on the artificial surface at Ludlow Town’s facility, used due to the re-seeding of the main pitch, apparently. However, Alcester seemed rushed somehow and in contrast to their opponents, too often aimed long deliveries for Bourn and the physical Adam Garmson to chase.

The referee was an interesting character, not averse to shouting at players who had become slightly animated, then wagging a rather violent finger at them and using silent movie expressions. Following the 4pm kick-off, it was 4.42pm when the opening period ended, despite a few stoppages and Town’s goal celebration. 

ADMONISHMENT FOR MORRIS...

If exact timing had been implemented throughout, the 90 minute match should have finished at round about 5.45pm but even after two second period Comers goals and the ensuing celebrations, a couple of injury delays, the introduction of a number of substitutes and the wait for the the trophy to be presented, I walked to my car at 5.54pm… 

How so?

The steady opening period…

Tom Ash in the Comers’ defence saw a lot of the ball before the interval, as did midfielders Cam Davies, Ben Davies and skipper Kevin Renshaw, denying Alcester the opportunity to stamp their authority on the proceedings but goal chances were nevertheless rare during the opening 45. The dangerous Ryan Knott miscued twice, before having an effort blocked, from which Cam Davies lifted the rebound just too high but Town defender Cam Crook kept his team level with a remarkable goal-line stop, after Knott’s low shot had beaten Romans’ goalie Will Haycock.

CROOK HOOKS THE BALL CLEAR...

Strangely, home gloveman Josh Hyde was then called upon to shovel aside Garmson’s free-kick from downtown, before Alcester seemed almost embarrassed to take the lead. The occasionally tricky left-sided attacker Joe Reynolds was fed in his own half by the foraging Liam O’Donnell and the winger lifted a pass into the marauding Bourn’s path at inside-left. The striker managed to nod the ball forwards as he was challenged by Ash and he then lifted a right-foot lob from 18 yards just beyond the glove-tips of the advancing, leaping Hyde. 

BOURN GETS CLEAR...

...& LOBS HYDE...

...FOR A NEATLY TAKEN GOAL...

...& 1-0 TO ALCESTER...

A falling volley from a set-piece by Ben Davies flew too high before the break, as the Comers replied to the blow of going behind but their possession game was persisted with and during a more offensive second-half, their reward was scooped up…

BEN DAVIES' EFFORT FLIES TOO HIGH...

GARMSON'S FREE-KICK WOULD BE SHOVELLED CLEAR BY HYDE...

The lively second 45… 

Cam Davies’ neatly played through-pass from his own half, first-time and left-booted, freed Ben Davies on the right flank and he ran forth, aiming a fine angled shot low past Haycock and into the far corner of the net to regain parity, as the covering and growling George Davis slid into a challenge. 

BEN DAVIES SHOOTS...

...PAST HAYCOCK...

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

Haycock smartly tipped away a cross-shot by the lively Zach Lea, before Knott’s header clipped the top of the crossbeam and in truth, despite the danger caused by Bourn’s rushes and the occasional sortie by Reynolds, the Romans were fortunate to remain level, although Town replacement Sam Judge nicked an effort past the near post, right side and Bourn’s near post header missed the target too.

KNOTT'S HEADER...

...NUDGES THE TOP OF THE CROSSBAR...

After Ben Davies’ shot had been blocked in front of the Alcester goal-line, the Romans surged forward on the counter and Reynolds’ fine run ended with a low shot which Hyde deflected for a corner as he advanced from goal. In a melee, both substitute Kian Davis (so two Davises and two Davieses played…) and Cam Crook had shots blocked by the Shrewsbury defence but as time began to run out, home replacement Connor Courtney assisted Harry Morris for the Comers’ winning goal…  

The clipped pass from inside-left towards the right post allowed Morris a chance to poke a close-range shot, under pressure from Crook. Haycock’s legs blocked the effort but the ball rebounded to Morris, whose second poke won the tie… 

MORRIS THREATENS...

...BUT HIS SECOND POKE IS THE BETTER ONE...

...TO WIN THE CUP FOR COMERS...

A downward Kian Davis header, fallen upon by Hyde was all Alcester could muster in reply but Comers nearly scored twice more, first when Haycock made a fine low save from the number 19 (maybe Tim Dyas?) and then when a splendid effort from distance by the creative Cam Davies only just cleared the horizontal bar.

COMERS THOUGHT THAT THIS CROOK CHALLENGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PENALTY...

The final thoughts… 

For a pre-season game, composure and neatness oozed from the Comers, as Renshaw, the two Davieses and Knott dominated a good deal of the tie. All three Shrewsbury full-backs utilised were zealous but David Howells in particular was a willing performer, making a number of unchecked runs forward and combining smoothly with the midfielders, whilst first Dan Parker and then replacement Brooklyn Makotose made decent contributions on the left flank. 

Defenders Ash and Josh Parker weren’t really too tested by the Alcester forwards but the unavailable Chris Dyson’s influence was  sorely missed by the Romans.

Lea made two or three useful wing-runs for Comers after half-time and Courtney was busy, whilst match winner Morris was involved in the bout of the day, a real battle with Crook, honours just about even…

Good moments for Alcester were provided by Bourn, Reynolds, defenders Crook and Tristan Roberts, whilst the work-rates of O’Donnell and Woody Hawkett were strong in the midfield areas. George Davis was committed, always tracking back to help and did produce a first-half clipped effort from a long way out, which wasn’t accurate enough…

The presentation was strangely muted but finally, the Comers lurched forward to be congratulated, Renshaw was handed the trophy and after an embarrassed kind of cheer, the players lined up for a photo and Renshaw lay down to cuddle the prize…   

I drove back to Solihull through Clee Hill Village, avoiding the unruffled flocks of sheep…