DAVENTRY TOWN 0 DUNSTABLE TOWN 3: MATCH REPORT BY The Mowdog...

Dunstable Destabilise Desperate Daventry

Daventry Town 0 Dunstable Town 3

The Bodging takes his seat for the clash between Daventry and Dunstable...

I have to admit that this match was a disappointment to the eyes of the neutral, although I was impressed by the visitors' attitude and aptitude throughout, deservedly winning the game against an abject Daventry team, who failed to offer strikers Scott Cross and Will Green any really constructive midfield support. Indeed, visiting goalkeeper Jamie Head was able to keep his head, simply gathering up barely lusty shots from the men in purple. In contrast, Duns' striker Lee Roache was a menace throughout the game, capping a busy performance, despite his slight frame, highlighted even more by his robust marker Liam Dolman, with a delightful goal. The real star throughout though was central midfielder Adam Watkins, who seemingly popped up everywhere and was still making supporting runs in the final moments for his team. He grabbed possession so many times in the trenches that Adam Confue and Ryan Howell of Daventry were sorely frustrated throughout the match, with visiting skipper Moses Olaleye parting the purple sea of the Daventry midfield in support of Watkins and blunting the horns on the Daventry helmets effectively, although in truth, Vikings wore no horns, apparently. But who cares, really?

The toss: Olaleye is there somewhere. Dolman is definitely there.

Untidy long kicking littered the first period, as if defenders in particular were emulating Rugby League players at the fifth tackle, belting the ball as far into opposition territory as possible and the only early shot at goal came from a free-kick, which home 'keeper Richard Morris took on the bounce in his muddy goalmouth. Nathan Frater did manage to shove a low centre from the right across the Daventry goalmouth but the general play was hurried and inaccurate from both teams, although when Watkins was involved, passes ensued. Duns' Leon Cashman miscued on the left side as the visitors looked slightly the more invasive in attack, then Frater was warned for a raised boot, which hovered nowhere near the tumbling Confue and there was mirth from Frater, despite being lectured by the official, Lisa Rashid. Confue's initial fatal injury healed magically, before a Tom James free-kick from 23 yards, inside-right, dithered like a damp squib past the right upright. Will Green did manage a left-flank run, which set up a shot by Scott Cross, which was blocked, but really, the offensive action was severely limited.

The excellent Roache boogies to confuse Simpson...

Two left-wing corners by Tom James came to nought for the hosts, before Cross pierced the gathering mist over the trees with a wayward shot. Finally, after a few passes were miraculously strung together, Watkins drove a shot from inside-left for the Duns, Morris parried it into Roache's path, who smuggled it into the net, but a linesperson's flag waved to signal offside. Roache then retrieved the ball well from the left and it was the irrepressible Watkins who raced forward to send a header just wide of the goal-frame. More passing by the visitors led to a second miscue by the unfortunate Cashman and the half wilted to a close limply like the corner flags which hung damp in the March evening. But wait! Roache had just enough time to break free at inside-left onto Frater's pass, he flicked a shot against the advancing Morris's gloves and watched supporting team-mate Frater steer the loose ball into the bottom left corner of goal from just 8 yards.

0-1 to Dunstable, just on half-time...

The players sloped off the field for a biscuit and mug of tea, I stood wondering whether Daventry would eventually be creative in this game, but Dunstable would surely be pleased with much of their play and it would get better four them right after the interval, for a free-kick by unruffled central defender Marc Leach found the head of a team-mate, the ball fell for Roache and was lifted over his head for the lurking Frater, who smacked a low volley past the helpless Morris and into the bottom right corner of the net.

0-2 and thoroughly deserved...

The naughty words are steamed out, so as not to cause offence.
There was no real footballing OFFENSE either, from Daventry...

Another James free kick was collected too easily by Head, with his hands though, then from another James free-kick, no shot this time, Ross Oulton, who had been so quiet out on the right, nearly connected with the ball in front of goal and Ollie Wilkinson's header from too far beyond the far post only struck the side-netting. Tony Burnett replaced Frater for the guests, Dunstable survived a corner, at which the falling Confue received a caution, then the Duns broke on the left through Burnett and his pass inside to Roache led to the most relaxed and innovative piece of skill on the night: a delicate 20 yard chip over the extended Morris, against the underside of the crossbar and into the Daventry net. That was worth the drive from Solihull to watch... 0-3 and really, the points were travelling south already, for Daventry, although more proactive, were still finding moves breaking down too early through a lack of accuracy.

Burnett sets off and goal 3 is on the way...

The smiling Roache enjoyed that...

Josh O'Grady replaced James Husband, who had proved ineffective on the Daventry left, Dunstable withdrew hard-working striker Terry Dixon and introduced Kyle Anthony then Mykel Beckley replaced Confue for Daventry. Roache broke away on the Duns' right, following the successful defending of a Daventry free-kick but his low centre simply rolled across the goalmouth, then Oulton's corner was headed back across goal by the combative Marcel Simpson for the hosts but Dunstable cleared the ball eventually. Luke Keen replaced Cross for Daventry and the home fans near me were definite in their appraisal of the striker: he had run his heart out. Sadly, he had received little service and looked as sick as a Manchester United fan would have appeared after the defeat against City on the same evening. The pleased Head held onto another James free-kick with surprising ease, Burnett and Roache made runs to the right byeline for the Duns, Morris punched a corner away, before Oulton, who had been warned for kicking the ball away in the first-half (is that really much of an offence in these days of lots of balls lying about?) was cautioned for a foul on Olaleye, who was soon replaced by Ryan Plowright. Howell was also booked for an apparent high boot, which like Frater's in the first-half, had threatened nobody really and the official signalled full-time.

Lisa Rashid sorts out a little trouble...

Daventry disappointed, Dunstable didn't. A calm defence, with Jerome Jibodu, Joe Bruce, Danny Murphy and Leach mostly really effective, kept Daventry at bay; the midfield ran their show and there was the impish Roache to harass, hassle and harangue in attack. But the visitors had Watkins, who impressed from start to finish. A fine victory for the Duns, a real punch in the face for the expectant men in purple, now bruised purple too...

The Duns celebrate...

More congratulations...

Teams:

Daventry:  Richard Morris, Ollie Wilkinson, Tom James; Marcel Simpson, Liam Dolman (Capt), Adam Confue; Ross Oulton, Ryan Howell, Will Green, Scott Cross, James Husband.

Subs: Luke Keen, Tommy Berwick, Mykel Beckley, Josh Blake, Josh O'Grady.

Dunstable:  Jamie Head, Jerome Jibodu, Danny Murphy; Joe Bruce, Marc Leach, Moses Olaleye (Capt); Adam Watkins, Nathan Frater, Lee Roache, Terry Dixon, Leon Cashman.

Subs: Newman Carney, Ryan Plowright, Tony Burnett, Kyle Anthony, Tony Fontanelle.