Sunday 26 June 2016

WOLVERHAMPTON UNITED SKIPPER LEE SMITH COMMENTS ON THE 10-1 VICTORY OVER LANCHESTER ATHLETIC...

Lee Smith: good of him to send me a few words...


"Liam Stevens was wearing 8, Liam Harding was 9, 10 was Jordan (not sure of last name), 7 was Joe Smith, 12 was Stuart (not sure of last name) and 3 was Martyn Beards, which I hope helps The Mowdog's report... 


My view was that it was a good workout for us against a hard-working team. The game allowed us to see the trialists mix in with the current squad. 

Overall it was a good, positive start to pre-season and it was great to see so many spectators."

Lee Smith, skipper, Wolverhampton United... 

WOLVERHAMPTON UNITED 10-1 LANCHESTER ATHLETIC: MATCH REPORT BY THE MOWDOG...

Plucky Lanchester Way Outgunned…

Wolverhampton United 10-1 Lanchester Athletic

Sparring well above their weight, Athletic were mercilessly punished by United, who netted half their goals in the minutes immediately preceding the ends of the two halves. Indeed, the guests made a real fist of the second period and had only conceded a free-kick goal, which rolled between their replacement ‘keeper’s legs, until that fatal couple of minutes. Obviously, players were changed about during the game and thus little pattern formed at all but several individuals performed well, although it has to be said that most of the goals scored were like low key training ground strikes. Forward Liam Stevens (I believe…) netted a hat-trick for the hosts, as well as pulling a one-on-one chance wide in the opening moments, Mal Santos grabbed a brace and the other goals were spread about the team. Left-sided attacker John Akkani (I hope that’s right…) scored Lanchester’s goal, with the aid of a skid beneath the goalie but he also displayed one superb trick, which is featured on one of the video clips. Despite some heavy showers, the afternoon was enjoyable, Wolves United were welcoming and I just loved their shed…
THE LANCHESTER SKIPPER TRIES TO SPOT THE BALL...

Not only did United score seven times before the interval, with Lanchester’s powerful but drenched ‘keeper Rich Moore looking crestfallen and dripping rain from his whiskers, other chances were squandered. The most amusing was when the number 7 benefited from a loose ball at the right post but instead of turning, he attempted to back-heel the ball over the goal-line. He fell in a tired heap over the byeline and the ball struck the foot of the upright, leaving Moore more or less amazed. Moore also got down to save at his right post from steady United skipper Lee Smith and then saved from the home right-back too, who had been released by Santos. The languid Santos, missed in the opening period of half two, having been rested, also set up the number 9 twice, who skied one effort and earlier had another blocked by Athletic’s number 2. Santos then casually scorned an opportunity to grab a first-half trio of goals, when 9 fed him but he attempted to clip a shot with the outside of his right boot and the ball flew past the left upright.
RICH MOORE: DRY AT THE MOMENT...

STEVENS HAS JUST SHOT WIDE FOR UNITED...

Lanchester scored when 2-0 behind but apart from a wayward free-kick by 2 and a near post block by the home goalie from number 14, all the Wolves custodian really had to do was rush out and smother a few long balls played forward. Home 11 sat deep in midfield and looked comfortable, even moving to right-back later on but Steve Evans, who I’m told was wearing 6 for United was unhurried throughout, wearing his red shorts, as if he was still on a beach somewhere and working off last night’s beers. He played well.
THE GUY IN BLACK YELLS: "HOME..."

OMG: DOES THE COACH SUPPORT SMALL HEATH?
I THINK HE DOES...

The second-half brought even less fluidity to the game, through many substitutions and probably tiredness but Stevens shot wide for the hosts, replacement Athletic ‘keeper tipped a shot over the goal-frame from United’s 7, 12 was close to scoring twice and Smith drove well off target with a keen left-footer. Lanchester managed only a wayward shot by 14, following a fine trick and low feed by Akkani, who was then beaten to a through-pass by the outrushing goaltender. There was more concerted effort by the visitors though and they were less vulnerable to Wolves’ attacks on their flanks, which was a main failure of their first-half display. Lanchester’s players, never stopped working, with 2, 5, 6, 14 and Akkani always prominent. 
PRE-GREY CLOUDS AND RAIN...

Wolves had passed the ball neatly in the early stages of the game and although they found it not quite so easy after the interval, their pressure told with those two late goals by 10 and 12. This had been a useful workout for both teams, played in a good spirit in front of a reasonable attendance, but it has to be remembered that Lanchester play in Brum’s Coronation League 3 and Wolves play in the West Midlands League, which are leagues apart, as they say… 
AFTER WOLVES' 7 HAD BACK-HEELED ONTO A POST...

Apologies for the lack of identification of players but that’s how it is in pre-season, although a few names were Tweeted my way! Below is a catalogue of the goals scored…

1-0:
Santos, right of goal picked up on a stretched block by Athletic’s number 2 and slipped a low shot into the left corner of the net.  
SANTOS HAS SCORED...

2-0:
7 got away from visiting 6 at inside-left, 18 yards out, then passed into the 6 yard box, where Santos’ deft touch beat Moore.
...& A SECOND FOR SANTOS...

THE LANCHESTER PLAYER IS UNIMPRESSED...

2-1:
Akkani raced forward, left-side and shot low, left-footed but straight at the goalie from 12 yards, yet the ball skidded and squirmed beneath the ‘keeper’s body.
2-1 NOW...

NOT MUCH OF A CELEBRATION...

3-1:
United’s 9 shoved a pass to the overlapping left-back (3) and he slipped the ball easily past Moore from an angle.
3-1 NOW...

THE OVERLAPPER HAS NETTED...

4-1:
Wolves’ 3 overlapped again and his low centre was converted deftly by Stevens.
STEVENS HAS NETTED...

4-1 NOW...

5-1:
Stevens chased a forward pass, beating Athletic’s 23, Moore raced out but kicked the ball against the striker, who recovered to run the ball into the empty net. 
STEVENS BOOGIES & IT'S 5-1...

6-1:
Santos’ low centre to 9 in the middle of the penalty-area saw him trick Lanchester’s 23 and shoot high into the net, with Moore almost certainly unsighted by a defender in front of him.
NUMBER 9 SCORES...

6-1 BEFORE THE BREAK...

7-1:
An awful defensive pass across the 18 yard box from the left-back position allowed Stevens to sweep the ball past a helpless Moore.
HAT-TRICK FOR STEVENS...

8-1:
Replacement ‘keeper Liam Walker allowed a 27 yard free-kick by United’s 7 to squirm between his shins as it dropped low onto the goal-line. 
NEW GOALIE ERRS...

...& IT'S 8-1...

9-1:
Wolves’ busy number 10 was clear at inside-left but although the ‘keeper saved at his feet, he was able to convert the rebound from an angle.
SECOND ATTEMPT: 9-1...

LANCHESTER REALLY DOWN...

10-1:
United’s 11 and 16 exchanged passes, before 11 fed 12 at inside-right. He played a one-two with the replacement 9, leaving Lanchester defenders 15 and 23 leaden-footed and shot hard inside the near post from 12 yards, although the goalkeeper made little effort to react. 
10-1...

THE NUMBER 12 HAS COMPLETED THE SCORING...

Me? Took the M5 option back to Solihull and friends came to dinner. But they cycled…





   

WOLVERHAMPTON UNITED 10-1 LANCHESTER ATHLETIC: LINK TO 23 VIDEO CLIPS...

MATCH PROGRAMME FOR A PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY GAME IN JUNE...
REMARKABLE.

CLICK THIS MESSAGE TO GO TO 23 VIDEO CLIPS FROM THE GAME, INCLUDING ALL THE GOALS (JUST ABOUT!)

WOLVERHAMPTON UNITED'S GROUND IN PICTURES, READY FOR THE 10-1 WIN AGAINST LANCHESTER ATHLETIC...

THE SIGN WAS TUCKED AWAY BUT A COUPLE OF CONES SIGNIFIED THE ENTRANCE...

LOVED THE 'NOWT' CHALKED ON THE EVENTS BOARD...

CLEAR INSTRUCTION AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE PITCH...

HAS THE 'C' SLIPPED 90 DEGREES TO MAKE IT TOUGHER TO LOCATE THE TOILET?
(WC: GEDDIT?)

IT'S FINE, I DID THOSE THINGS ON THE STREET AFTERWARDS...

THE BODGING LIKES THE SHED...

SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE BROLLY HANDLE BUT HE APPEARS TO HAVE A SMILE UPON HIS FACE...

SHAME I'D LEFT MY SCYTHE IN THE GARAGE...

ONE END...

'NOTHER END...

SPARE PITCH, ALSO TWO NINES ATTACHED...

THE SOMME TRENCHES WERE PROBABLY DRIER...

THE COMPLAINT COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS 'SURFACE WATER'...

THE SHED, WHICH HAD THAT UNMISTAKEABLE WHIFF OF DAMP WOOD...

NOT TRUE: HE WAS UNRESERVEDLY LOUD AND AGITATED...

SOMEONE HAS BURIED A GIGANTIC COTTON REEL AT THE SIDE OF THE PITCH...

...TWO MORE!
I USED ONE AS A TABLE.
IMPRESSED?

BRILLIANT MUCK-STUCK ROLLER...

WHEN THE BLACK COUNTRY REALLY IS THE BLACK COUNTRY...

IN THAT RAIN, THE PLAYERS WERE ABLE TO WARM UP AND COOL DOWN AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME...

Friday 24 June 2016

FLASHBACK TO 2009-10, WHEN COALVILLE TOWN BEAT CRADLEY TOWN 4-2...

The Scholar, The Milksop & The Delinquent

There was the tall, quietly spoken referee: young, lean and somewhat shy, perhaps. He allowed a variety of physical challenges to go unpunished and then, of course, struggled to keep control. He was like an introverted, middle-class newly qualified teacher attempting to teach chemistry to 5C on a Friday afternoon on a rough council estate.

There was the white legged, not very athletic, bespectacled linesman: young he was, fragile and somewhat unobjectionable, perhaps. He wiped his glasses with a handkerchief when the rain affected his vision and then, of course, struggled to convince spectators. He was like a newly ordained, middle-class priest, attempting to correct the crooked paths of hooded muggers and crack addicts in an overspill ghetto.
LINESMAN...

There was the diminutive, vociferous full-back: not so young, glabrous and somewhat vituperative, perhaps. He bawled caustic phrases across the field, like: 
“Hey! What’s that for?” or 
“Hey, f…… deal with it…” or 
“Come on… F…… hell….!” 
And then, of course, he lost his composure. He was like a member of 5C on a tough housing estate, whose hoodie and crack supply lay in a dressing-room cabinet, but his oafishness remained with him.
FULL-BACK & REFEREE...

The referee had quiet words for players, the linesman attempted to explain why he had raised a flag to spectators and the full-back’s waist high challenge on Coalville’s left-winger cut the damp October air like a meat cleaver through a succulent pork chop. 

And then it rained some more… 

DURING THE RAIN...



Cradley Punished For Awry Performance. Eventually…

Coalville 4 Cradley 2

Att: 90
OWEN ST...

TYPICALLY DARK COALVILLE...

Cradley were well served by their two forwards, Ludlow and Store but otherwise were outplayed by their hosts who were plainly inconsistent but deserved to win the game easily. Several moments of indecision in the home defence caused anguish but Thompson’s second-half goal, inadvertent or not, settled the nerves. Fisher’s cameo dribbling and Louis Dodd’s contribution were invaluable for Coalville, as was Gordon’s ‘lean on, shove and scrap’ tactic- a total blessing for my evening. Loved it. Fair play to his marker, Blair, though who rarely complained but simply prepared for the next bout of physicality.

As early as the second minute, Gordon’s strength combined with a smart through pass for Dodd, inside-right channel and the clever midfielder side-footed neatly past the ‘keeper’s left hand to open the scoring. Despite the goal, Coalville didn’t really settle although Gordon had already made his intentions clear; Stuart blasted a 25 yard free-kick to Cunningham the Cradley goalie then Fisher fed Gordon, left of centre, who shrugged off his marker but toe-poked an angled shot past the far post from 16 yards or so. Cradley, typically, netted with their first meaningful attack on 16 minutes; Lee Williams threaded a pass for Ludlam, right of centre and his low 15 yard shot struck Rich Williams’ legs as the ball went between them and ricocheted into the ‘keeper’s left corner. 
When Attwood fed Thompson, the forward was instructed to hold onto the ball but instead he flicked it on for Dodd, moving inside from the right and from an angle; the player’s drive was blocked at the near post by Cunningham, rebounding for a corner off a defender, apparently. Stuart had taken a knock and was unable to get back to defend a break on his flank; fortunately, Ludlam’s effort at goal was blocked and Store fired badly wide of the left upright.
BEFORE THE RAIN...

Blair tackled Thompson well, following a pass by Gordon then left-back Clifton misjudged the flight of a long left-wing centre by Attwood but Dodd could do no more than bundle the ball over the bar at the right post. At 36 minutes, Stuart’s injury led to a second Cradley goal, when the defender struggled to get back again and this left Everitt sliding across the penalty-box to challenge Matkin, who won a penalty, which Ludlow despatched to Rich Williams’ right, with aplomb.
Coalville equalised immediately, in the 38th minute and again Dodd was lurking in the right place when Fisher’s superb jinking run on the left took him past defenders to the bye-line and picked out Dodd for a close-range, near post finish. Right-back Lloyd had taken a wild and vicious swing at Fisher during the run but the official failed in his duty to punish the constantly complaining visitor. Oddly, Miveld was booked shortly afterwards for a foul on Ludlam but on 42 minutes, the Ravens restored their earlier lead when Gordon fastened onto a throw from the right, controlled the ball, turned and bustled and forced and shoved his way past Blair before smashing a low shot to Cunningham’s right from 12 yards. The striker was cautioned for a foul on Craddock just before the break but at least Coalville had overcome moments of defensive lapsing to regain supremacy. Dodd was always a threat but Fisher’s final pass had been awry a couple of times, yet it was good to watch a player determined to be clever and take defenders on. Ludlow was a handful for Everitt and Haynes but despite Store’s bulk, he was a willing and useful strike partner for the Cradley goalscorer. Cradley withdrew Craddock and Mears at half-time, replacing them with Boulton and Toms.

After the break, Store fastened onto approach play by Paskin and Ludlow, somehow reached the left bye-line and centred but busy midfielder Attwood cleared the danger. Fisher made another clever run, irritating Lloyd even more and following a corner, the ball was played deep to Dodd, whose chip cleared the crossbar from 28 yards. The settling goal arrived on 54 minutes and Cunningham’s error was drastic. Another corner, played back to Dodd, deep right, by Stuart, was crossed towards the six-yard box but the ‘keeper failed to gather it, under no pressure and dropped the ball behind him, where Thompson appeared to bundle it over the goal-line.
Miveld fed Dodd on the right side, Blair cleared the ensuing centre but Thompson’s volley was well off target from 8 yards then a strong run by Brown, who was to receive a nasty cut to the head, led to a 23 yard drive, which rose too high. A foul by Fisher led to a free-kick by Ludlow, which crashed off the Ravens’ crossbar from 24 yards- a lucky escape. Cunningham collected Miveld’s deflected 28 yard shot, Roberts replaced Fisher and so nearly added his name to the scoresheet, immediately. Thompson and Gordon combined neatly, Thompson broke to draw the goalie, inside-right channel but he decided to be unselfish, squaring the ball left for the unmarked Roberts to convert; unfortunately, Roberts had apparently drifted offside! 
THE COALBAGGIES...

Dodd got onto a Thompson pass but was blocked at the near post, winning a right-wing corner then Adams replaced Thompson. Another one of those deep short corners, again not covered by the visitors, led to Dodd’s 25 yard effort being deflected to Cunningham. Roberts was cautioned, Gordon, quieter after the break, volleyed across the goalmouth, right to left but Lloyd, not complaining just for a moment, cleared the ball away well. As the game ebbed away, Stuart’s lobbed volley flew wide of the left upright and Cradley looked a beaten team, rarely even drawing a yawn from Rich Williams, despite the efforts displayed by the two visiting strikers. James Dodd played a few minutes, replacing Brown and at least the defence was more settled after the half-time interval and rain lashed into the visitors' faces for short periods. Louis Dodd looked lively and the two Coalville forwards were tough for Cradley to deal with, so it must have been difficult for the visitors to take the goalkeeping mistake which presented the victory to the Ravens.