VISITING UTTOXETER TOWN FC, 2014: A 1-1 DRAW v BROMSGROVE SPORTING...

 Uttoxeter On the Rails, As Sporting Manage Dead-Heat…

Uttoxeter Town 1-1 Bromsgrove Sporting, 2014…

This clash of two in-form teams was memorable for two missed penalties, a somewhat harsh dismissal, goalkeeping errors and excellent saves, plus a defensive stand that the Romans at Stramshall nearby would have been proud of by the hosts. 

There was a rainbow and a pouring forth of Bromsgrove attackers in an attempt to salvage at least one goal. They did so in added time, bringing a degree of drama to the encounter too. 

I stood in fine rain for some of the first-half, minus a hat, a reminder that Samuel Johnson once did so in Uttoxeter too, as a penance, for when he was young he had refused to help out at his father’s bookstall in the town’s market. I felt an affinity with him at last, more so than when I was bored to death at school, having to read Boswell’s accounts of Johnson’s life. 

Uttoxeter also saw the final major surrender of Royalist troops in the Civil War, in 1648 and at the death in this match, Town surrendered to Bromsgrove too and parity was duly restored…

After one of many Bromsgrove shots flew wide from distance, I remembered that Uttoxeter had forwards too and on their first sortie forward, they scored, although credit for the assist should maybe go to Bromsgrove goalie Jake Bedford, wearing 13 and suffering ill-luck. The fairly aimless cross from the right he moved out to catch was so mundane that I didn’t even switch on the camera to video the incident but striker James Curley ran forward and jumped in front of the goalie as he raised a pair of gloves to make the simple catch. Curley’s nod lobbed the ball into the empty net and with the concession of that goal, Sporting’s ascendancy and confidence began to suffer.

It really should have been over when Liam Sowter fell under a Bromsgrove challenge to earn a penalty, which he took himself. Bedford watched with interest as Sowter lifted a right-footed spot-kick beyond the upper part of the left upright. A bad miss.

Home goalie Langridge rose to catch a right-side Bromsgrove corner but somehow dropped the ball and in the chaos which followed, Wills was felled by Gadsby, who had launched himself like a wrestler across a ring and the referee had no alternative but to offer Wills a penalty. Wills took it, side-booted a left-footer towards the left upright but Langridge redeemed himself, diving low to his right to make a good save, before Daniels’ rebound effort rose over the goal-frame. 

WILLS' PENALTY IS SAVED BY LANGRIDGE...

Bromsgrove had attacked fairly well early on, although Daniels could possibly have been more of a threat in a more central role but Uttoxeter’s excellent pressing work had nullified Tibbetts to an extent and Wills was again performing from very deep and only affected the game intermittently. Conway was unable to beat Bagley aerially but worked hard in attack. Town’s offensive play had been disappointing in truth, although Curley and Redshaw were threats, despite their team’s lack of midfield and wide creativity on the day. Goalkeeper Langridge was holding his own.

Out of the blue, Hewitt and Sowter went into a challenge and the Town man was instantly dismissed by the main official, although the decision was oddly emotional for rather a low-key referee.

Just when it seemed that Town had weathered the worst of what the Rouslers could rustle up, Mahon fed Daniels to his left and the forward stuttered his step-overs to unsettle Doug Price en route to the left byeline, from whence the ensuing low centre was struck goalwards by Mahon from 6 yards, only for Langridge to block it really well. For once though, the rebound favoured the guests and Mahon bundled the ball into the left corner of the net from a yard or two, after continuing his forceful run. Cue delirious celebrations…

The game ended immediately after the restart but Uttoxeter had defended so well and had even left two attackers upfield, meaning that Sporting were not able to add even more bodies to the attacking cause but credit must go to Langridge, Doug Price and the bandit-like Bagley for keeping their team alive for so long. I liked their strikers, although I’d like to have seen more of them but Daniels and Tibbetts for the Rouslers will prove handfuls for most defences at this level. Sporting’s defensive weaknesses aerially were not exploited at all after the interval and it really was a matter of time before Bromsgrove struck. Mahon loved the moment, Langridge jumped up and down like Dennis the Menace in a flap in The Beano and Wills, after his penalty-miss, would surely have breathed a sigh of relief in the dugout…

I drove home via Branston, avoiding the M6 pickle and later enjoyed those Saturday eggs and chips… 

It’s what I do. 

Teams:  

Uttoxeter:  Alex Langridge, Mark Springall, Olly Ritchie; Liam Sowter, Doug Price, Lee Bagley; Martin Gadsby (Capt), Kyle Elspin, James Curley, Matt Redshaw, Olly Mellor.

Subs: Jack Holley, George Marshman, Jon Littler, Harry Price, Ross Bould.

Bromsgrove:  Jake Bedford, Chris Duggan, Jack Wilson; Simon Fitter, Scott Smith (Capt), Ryan Mahon; Will Tibbetts, Reece Hewitt, Chris Conway, Sam Wills, Aaron Daniels.

Subs: Chris Sockett, Craig Jones, Lewis Clarke, Jozsef Jakab, Sean Brain.