Romans Held Off By Rangers’ Defensive Wall…
Alcester Town 0-1 AFC Coventry Rangers
The Mowdog’s thoughts…
This was a physical encounter won by a single and rather early goal by visiting skipper Jordan Powell. The guests also lost two starters early on, for Charlie Hynam left the field not long after the start, then left-back Toby Curran was scythed down by home defender Brad Hendry, a foul which left the Ranger unable to continue. Interestingly, both Rangers’ replacements, Phil Chesters and Ryan Alexander contributed hugely to the stubborn performance by their team and prevented Town taking even one point from the match.
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| CURRAN GOES DOWN... |
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| ...& LOOKS PAINFUL... |
The hosts were well served by their number 10, the scheming Chris Dyson, whose performance was one of the highlights of the contest and he was ably assisted by Adam Bourne on offense and skipper Dan Sutton in midfield. The Romans certainly had more attempts at goal but their finishing wasn’t accurate enough on several occasions and AFC goalminder Declyn Duggan made a few goal-line saves.
Coventry were reliant upon a powerful four-man defence, made up of the calm Chesters, the defiant James Ritson, the uncompromising George Swain and the busy Owen Suddick. Skipper Powell was always prominent in midfield however and also aerially, whilst Alexander pounded the trenches with a hugely influential showing. Striker Connoll Farrell held the ball up well on offense and was able to make a few smart turns to get to the left byeline during the opening 45.
Rangers were actually denied two more goals. The first incident brought a fine save from a Powell header by home gloveman George Harris, then in the final moments, a free-kick from downtown by substitute Harry Wilson smacked against the home goal-frame.
The good Rangers start & Alcester’s eventual response…
A move on the left by Andy Matthews led to a short pass inside to Farrell who turned defender Tristan Roberts and shoved a dangerous low delivery across the home goalmouth from the byeline. Aaron Xavier hurried to clear left-footed for Town which caused him to slice the ball straight to the unmarked Powell, 15 yards out. The Coventry skipper’s low shot was deflected slightly upwards, I reckon by Roman Luke Wyatt, causing the ball to rise past Harris then Hendry on the goal-line and fly high into the left side of the net. 0-1 and the only goal of the match had been scored…
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| FARRELL'S LOW ASSIST... |
...POWELL'S SHOT... 
...& THE BALL HITS THE ALCESTER NET...
The response from Alcester was due mainly to the efforts of Dyson and Sutton, whilst Bourne also became more active but before Ranger Pete Bailey shot into the side-netting, Hendry shoved Swain in the back at the right stick and looped a header across goal which nudged against the far angle of crossbar and upright before the ball was cleared. No infringement was spotted by the main official and as the ball was cleared by Rangers, Hendry then fouled Curran, as described above.
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| HENDRY'S HEADER (2ND FROM RIGHT) HAS NUDGED THE FAR ANGLE... |
An awkward near post leaning header by Dan Wood caused a problem for Duggan but he was able to smother it out for a corner, a James Ward shot was well blocked and hence deflected over the target, a centre by Xavier nearly caught Duggan out and he was forced to turn the ball away, before another leaning near post header, this time by Ward was smuggled past the upright by Duggan’s smart reactive save.
DUGGAN TIPS AWAY XAVIER'S CROSS...
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| DUGGAN SAVES FROM WARD... |
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| ...& WOOD... |
Powell’s header was then saved by Harris and the half ended with Rangers unwilling to surrender an equaliser.
POWELL'S HEADER WOULD BE TIPPED OVER THE CROSSBAR BY HARRIS...
Bookends…
The bookends were two AFC attacks, whereby Bailey dipped a volley too high from 20 yards and the lively Wilson’s fine free-kick from 25 yards curled against the left angle of crossbeam and vertical pole.
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| WILSON PREPARES TO SMASH A FREE-KICK AGAINST THE LEFT ANGLE... |
In between the bookends, Alcester battled on and really ought to have made some of the pressure exerted count but in truth, Ritson, Swain, Suddick and Chesters held firm for AFC, often helped out by the spirited efforts of Alexander and the heading ability of Powell.
Chances were made by the Romans however and after a 25 yard free-kick by Ward had flown too high, Bourne missed a good chance, firing over the target from 6 yards, before Sutton drove too high, Duggan smothered a shot from distance by Dyson past his left stick and Wood bent forth to nod an effort well over the crossbar.
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| BOURNE HAS LIFTED A FINE CHANCE OVER THE TARGET... |
The final words…
The Romans will feel that losing this contest was very unfortunate, for it was a tough game throughout which kept up its intensity until the final moments. Certainly Swain, Powell and Alexander shone for the visitors, although when Alpha Wurie joined the fray, his left boot seemed overheated, as a couple of shots and a cross were launched into a virtual orbit of the Rivers Arrow and Alne…
Despite all of the impressive approach work, engineered by Dyson, Bourne and Sutton in particular, it proved to be not enough for Alcester to dent Rangers’ obstinacy.
Thus the Romans were unable to breach their adversary’s defensive lines… Maybe time to catapult the attackers Ballista, Onager and Scorpion into their final matches…
Thanks for the welcome, Alcester…
