PILKINGTON XXX 0-2 COVENTRY UNITED: FULL match report by THE MOWDOG...

Official Takes Centre-Stage, As Pilks Struggle To Punish Cagemen…

Pilkington XXX 0-2 Coventry United

This game, played on a rough surface, which affected the roll both of any fully inflated balls but also the one which wasn’t, which still infiltrated the error-riddled affair, was won by two first-half strikes by United who needed three points, scrapped for them and even when down to ten players, won the game comfortably. It was surprising to see Pilks labour on offense so badly, for earlier in the season, they had moved the ball about well when I saw them but visiting goalkeeper Rich Morris didn’t have a direct save to make, bar a couple of gathers from distance. Josh O’Grady’s free-kick, which swerved past a motionless Reece Francis in the XXX goal, then a rather poked shot by Chris Cox, which also beat the back-peddling custodian, defeated Pilks and whilst they go on to play a semi-final on Thursday, Coventry have to travel to Pelsall to try to keep their winning streak going. Few opportunities were created by the teams, a number of players understandably looked a little jaded and United’s Callum Burgess was dismissed for his comments, following a caution. The referee blew his whistle a number of times in his anxious desperation to exile the angry Coventry defender and Burgess will miss a game soon now, not the best outcome for his team… 

COX & McCALLA MEET THE OFFICIALS...

Matt Powell, aka Dele Alli, covered an early run by United’s Matt Brown, onto Rich Blythe’s releasing pass, as Coventry looked to settle the quicker, although Craig Oldfield’s right-flank centre did drop behind the Coventry goal-frame. The Scouse voice of United manager Terry Anderson screeched at Brown to remain onside, O’Grady was unable to get onto a long Burgess pass and then O’Grady was nudged over, 25 yards out, inside-right channel. O’Grady, faced by a three-man wall lashed a low drive, which evaded the player on the right edge of the barrier but the ball swerved unhelpfully for Francis and he could only look aghast as the ball flew inside his left upright, although he was only a metre or so from it. 0-1 and any nerves Coventry might have harboured had probably vanished.

MOUDIME GOING BACKWARDS? REALLY?

GOAL FOR O'GRADY...

0-1...

'KEEPER FRANCIS IS NOT SO HAPPY...

...BUT THE SCORER IS RATHER PLEASED WITH HIMSELF...

Pilks soon lost possession badly on their right-side, the ball was switched by United to their right, after O’Grady had been adjudged not to have been fouled, but deciding whether the shuffling forward had actually been fouled or not was an ongoing problem for the officials throughout the match. Blythe shovelled the ball right for Pierre Moudime, who experienced a mixed game throughout but his attempted cross was wayward. Moudime did get past Ant Fletcher too easily shortly afterwards but Brown was unable to get a touch at the near post and Powell was forced to hack the ball clear at the far stick. After a fine tackle by home skipper Eric McCalla on O’Grady, the awkward United man fell inside the penalty-box under a challenge but this time, the referee decided that no penalty was due and therefore, with Pilks’ players and staff screaming for a booking, he duly obliged. O’Grady did get towards the byeline on the left side however, Powell’s deflection took the ball into the 6 yard box and Jake Wicketts sliced the ball upwards to cover-point and over his own crossbar.

LOVELY BACKDROP: REMINDS ME OF A WORKHOUSE...

Tommy Glasscoe had been injured for Coventry early on and although he had battled on for a while, Josh Blake replaced him and the central striker played a decent game at left wingback, although he spent much of the game in a more defensive role. Pilks were struggling to get any offense going despite the runs of Dale Kenny but when he blocked a clearance on the attacking left-flank by the often out of sorts Gift Mussa, who looked weary at times, despite his full-blown effort, the ball spun infield and Coventry’s defence looked flustered in dealing with the eventual cross. A right-side corner ended up with a shot being collected by Rich Morris, his clearance was knocked on by Blythe, Keith Draper was unable to prevent the ball from breaking off himself to Cox and the United skipper’s low shot, seemingly off the toe-section of his right boot, rolled into the left corner of the net from 18 yards, as Francis appeared to back-pedal. 

0-2 NOW...

COURTESY OF CAPTAIN COX...

All the hosts could muster before the interval was a 28 yard free-kick by Oldfield, which rose way too high. During the break, Coventry substitute Jayden Rickhuss warmed up alongside Brian Ndlovu, so with a church spire overlooking the pitch and the church bells ringing during the opening period, it was strange to see not only The Messiah on the pitch, but also The Prodigal Son. Rickhuss had returned because a new manager had been appointed…

The second-half opened more brightly for Pilks although they were unable to capitalise upon a corner and then Brown was unable to get to a cross from O’Grady on the right, before Cox was felled outside the penalty-box. O’Grady curled his 25 yard free-kick past the right angle of bar and post however, but in truth United really did appear to fade from the game as the half wore on. Francis tipped an in-swinging right-wing corner by O’Grady over the crossbar but Brown’s ensuing flag-kick from the left drifted too far, before Jack Gauntlett’s audacious 48 yard volleyed effort, following a clearance by Morris, drifted well off target and he was immediately replaced by Dan Douse, whilst Joe Wykes was relieved by the appearance of Matt Stirzaker, who both put in decent shifts.

O’Grady appeared to be edging towards the right-flank, where much of his good work has been done this term, although he was actually playing as a twin-striker with Brown. Indeed, he took a clearance superbly from a United defender and turned to run on the right flank but his eventual pass to Blythe, like a few other O’Grady feeds during the evening, was errant. Burgess was then cautioned for a foul near his own right corner-flag, must then have commented something like: “Good gracious, referee, surely you jest, my good fellow?” The official blew his whistle lots, like he was attempting to stop a three-legged race which had begun with a false start but which nobody wanted to acknowledge and a red card was shown to the commanding, vociferous Burgess and Coventry were forced to get through the remainder of the game with ten players.

BURGESS: DISMISSED FOR SOME NASTY, NASTY WORDS, APPARENTLY...

Blake did well to hack a dangerous low cross out for a corner, then a low drive by Douse apparently struck Cox, leaving him and McCalla lying inside the penalty-box. Neither was cautioned for diving. That was a limp jest…

Martin Hutchcox replaced Brown, leaving O’Grady alone in attack, with the substitute bolstering the defence alongside Jamie Coleman and Rob Prinzel but when O’Grady fell over again and was awarded a free-kick, prompting screams about ‘diving’ and ‘red card’, Moudime worked the free-kick with O’Grady, who reached the byeline cleverly, beating Fletcher and McCalla, then Stirzaker, before stepping inside and driving a low shot past the near post, although the frustrated Cox was unmarked at the far upright.

THE MESSIAH REPLACES THE TRICKY ONE...

O’Grady fastened onto a poor Francis kick but fell over again, prompting more Pilks screams about ‘diving’ and ‘red card’, all of which possibly instigated his removal, so that Brian Ndlovu replaced the shuffling trickster and The Messiah chased a lot. The only threat before the end was when Coleman was cautioned, Coventry cleared the initial danger, Stirzaker lurked, Fletcher served a cross in but when that was cleared towards Denny, the striker’s shot was sliced horribly wide. This left United with only moments to survive, which they did and another three points had come their way…

COLEMAN SPELLS OUT HIS NAME...

The lack of entertainment was no surprise; the pitch, the fatigue, the tension and the simple need to WIN for Coventry meant that creativity was at a premium. Width was again rarely a problem for Pilks, although O’Grady’s best work did originate from the right-wing. Cox and Blythe battled in midfield for The Cagemen, their defence was composed enough, whereas Powell and McCalla were generally sound for the hosts, with Wicketts’ long throws an irregular threat to the guests. One more hurdle, two more goals, three more points and Coventry move on to play Villa. Sadly it’s Pelsall, not Aston…

CELEBRATORY LURCHING IN THE KINGS NORTON DARKNESS...

TEAMS:

PILKS XXX:

Reece Francis, Keith Draper, Jake Wicketts, Matt ‘Dele Alli’ Powell, Kieran McCalla (Capt), Jack Gauntlett, Craig Oldfield, Joe Wykes, Chad Barrett, Dale Kenny, Ant Fletcher.

SUBS:

Matt Stirzaker, Dan Douse, Pat Behan, Jack McGinn, Oli Jones.

COVENTRY UNITED:

Rich Morris, Pierre Moudime, Tommy Glasscoe, Rob Prinzel, Callum Burgess, Jamie Coleman, Rich Blythe, Chris Cox (Capt), Matt Brown, Josh O’Grady, Gift Mussa.

SUBS:

Brian Ndlovu, Martin Hutchcox, Josh Blake, Jayden Rickhuss, Dave Allen (gk).