LEAMINGTON HIBS 4-1 AFC BIRMINGHAM: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT + IMAGES WITH CAPTIONS...

 Coleman Inspired Hibs Hit Four Past AFC…

Leamington Hibs 4-1 AFC Birmingham…

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

At seven degrees at a breezy Field Lane, Solihull, it felt really cold as daylight began to fade and I balanced precariously on what might have been a badger path at the corner of the raised grassy knoll at Hampton FC’s ground. I did manage to keep my feet, as I attempted to film the action from a competitive encounter and also commentate, whilst shivering… 

Strangely though, despite the immense discomfort, I enjoyed being there, although my stiffened right knee might not agree…

Clearly, following a lively start by AFC, Hibs grew into the contest and created a good number of chances to score but a couple of decent saves by AFC ‘keeper Louis Stokes in half-one and two glaring misses in front of goal by the home forwards after the interval kept the score down to a more respectable 4-1…

Certainly Hibs’ forward Brad Coleman led the charge for his team with some smart play, a brace of goals and some unselfish passes, whilst right-sided attacker Arron Francis was often a threat and smacked home a fine cross-shot for his team’s second goal. Add in some ferocious midfield play by Brad Bailey, a skipper’s display of industry by Jordan Brandish and a typically effective defensive performance by Aaron Sahota, until he was hurt then withdrawn, and really, AFC were well beaten.

However, the visiting wingers, Musah Abubakari and Idris Oyeniyi offered several moments of cleverness for their team, whilst Abdul Adams was often prominent in the trenches. 

Thanks to Hibs for making me feel welcome and it was good to chat to the AFC staff and coaches too. 

The opening half…

Despite that quick AFC start, Hibs settled and won several corners but Stokes had already dived to turn away a cross-shot by Francis and stopped a near post flick by the same player from a corner, when the hosts struck with a smart goal. Brandish spread the ball right with a clipped first-time pass for Francis to break forward onto. Francis’ low centre was accurate and the alert Coleman swept the ball past Stokes with confidence. A very neat goal…

COLEMAN SWEEPS IN GOAL ONE...

Bailey and the busy Robbie Willden were involved in a goalmouth melee, in which Oyeniyi hacked the ball from his own goal-line, before Coleman twice and Willden drove efforts off target. 

The guests had struggled to get forwards Niall Walsh and Harley Baker into the game but Walsh did shoot straight at home goalie Roddy Attwood, before he equalised, which came as a surprise. 

The assist by Oyeniyi was really good, as he passed a low cross from the left-flank with the outside of his right boot. Walsh latched onto it and from 18 yards drove in a shot which Attwood got a glove to but couldn’t prevent from finding the net. 

WALSH SHOOTS...

...& SCORES FOR 1-1...

AFC’s Adams struck a free-kick from downtown well over the target as the half rumbled to a close with the teams level…

After the break…

After Oyeniyi had made a quick left-side break and fired a low delivery across the face of the home goal, at the other end, Francis shot too high from inside-right, before scoring a good goal to regain the lead for his team.

A clinical pass forward by Coleman from half-way sent Francis through on the right and from just inside the penalty-box, he fired a fine shot on the run past the helpless Stokes and high into the far side of the net.

THE CROSS-SHOT FROM FRANCIS...

...MAKES IT 2-1...

After Willden lifted a bobbling ball over the target from a few yards away from an open goal, the visitors went close to regaining parity, when replacement Ethan Ruppenthal’s low poked shot was superbly deflected wide by Sahota’s bravery. The injured Hibs man was unable to continue, after receiving treatment.

Two replacements for Hibs then combined, Josh Mann setting up Isaiah Balu, whose 18 yarder rose too high but shortly afterwards, the influential Mann, in a crowded, chaotic 18 yard box, shoved a pass back for fellow substitute Connor Haymes to strike from 19 yards. The shot was made with the outside of a foot and seemed to be rolling harmlessly through to Stokes but as the gloveman bent to collect the ball, it took an unnatural bounce and struck him in the face, allowing the lurking Isaak Francis, another Hibs replacement, to score from the rebound, despite Stokes’ desperate attempt to stop the ball.

ISAAK FRANCIS BEATS STOKES...

...& IT'S 3-1...

A late chance to reduce the arrears was created by Birmingham, when Abubakari, struck Oyeniyi’s low centre first time but his powerful effort flew straight at Attwood, who held onto the ball smartly. Coleman fired over the target from an Arron Francis assist, before a fourth goal buried AFC totally…

The tall visiting defender Bryan Metalo, passed the ball back to Stokes at the edge of his 18 yard box, who presumably attempted to sidefoot the ball slightly right to central defender Dan Wyatt but somehow the ball rolled slightly left and straight to Coleman, who ran forth and shot easily past the stricken, recovering goalkeeper…

COLEMAN ACCEPTS A GIFT...

 

...& IT'S 4-1...

The final words…

The afternoon panned out harshly for AFC, despite some real effort put in by all of their players but subsequently it wouldn’t be enough against a lively Leamington outfit, spearheaded by the clever play of Coleman and the battling, yet skilful Bailey and the wing persistence of Willden. Dan Hume’s defensive troops of Sahota, Kellan Shepherd and the lean, mean Leighton Holmes-Keeling were solid enough in front of Attwood, who seemed a decent guy when I spoke to him afterwards…

Oyeniyi and Abubakari could win games for AFC on their own, surely, for both flankers possess ball skills and pace, yet despite that fact, little service was enjoyed on the day by Walsh or Baker in central attack. 

When my knee finally agreed to shift from its hibernating stiffness, the Hibs players were friendly enough towards me as I hobbled to my car…

Gods, I needed the hot coffee when I reached home… 

Images from the encounter...

GOAL 4 HAS BEEN NETTED BY COLEMAN (16)... 

 

FRANCIS (15) HAS A WORD...

SAHOTA IS HELPED FROM THE PITCH...

SAHOTA LIES HURT AFTER A FINE CHALLENGE DEFLECTED A SHOT BY AFC'S ETHAN RUPPENTHAL...

AT THE FIRST SIGN OF HASSLE, EVERYONE WANTS TO BE INVOLVED... 

GOAL CELEBRATIONS ARE ALWAYS SPECIAL...

IF IT'S A HIGH PASS, WILL FRANCIS STAND ON METALO'S FEET?

COLEMAN SPRAWLS...

BAILEY: "NO SIR, IT WASN'T ME...

COLEMAN: A FINE GAME...

WALSH (9) HAS EQUALISED FOR AFC...

"JUST TELL ME YOUR NAME, OK?"

SAHOTA, 4TH FROM LEFT, HAS BEEN CAUTIONED BUT WAS SAVED FROM A RED CARD, BY THE FACT THAT OTHER GREEN SHIRTS WERE IN THE VICINITY...

WORDS FOR SHEPHERD, WHILST SKIPPER BRANDISH CALMS IT ALL DOWN.
MAYBE BRANDISH SHOULD BE PRIME MINISTER...

HUME REALISES THAT ALTHOUGH THE BULL IS CHARGING, HE HAS FORGOTTEN HIS CAPE...

1-0 TO HIBS, COLEMAN THE SCORER...

"I'M IN CHARGE, SO ZIP IT..."

THE REFEREE TEACHES VENEZUELAN TO THE AFC SKIPPER...  

AT THE TOSS, HOME SKIPPER BRANDISH BRANDISHES HIS HARDNESS BY HEADING A TRASH BIN OFF THE PITCH...