ATHERSTONE TOWN 1 SHIFNAL TOWN 4
Midland Football League, Premier Division
Saturday 4 February 2023
Shifnal bounced back after two mediocre performances with, possibly, their best performance of the season against a team that had previously only lost two game at Sheepy Road, and were full of confidence having reached the last 16 in the FA Vase. After a cagy start, it was the home side that created the first chance on goal after 22 minutes. Jake Brown’s low shot from the edge of the penalty area was superbly saved by Adam Whitehouse with his feet, and the keeper dealt similarly with the follow-up, The visitors opened the scoring, slightly against the run of play, in the 27th minute. Steve Leslie’s corner from the right was met by TOM HILL with a right-foot volley at the far post which gave Keelan Fallows no chance. Full-back Josh Green came close on 32 minutes when he found space 15 yards out, but his fierce drive was turned over the crossbar by Fallows. The Adders came back strongly, and Chris Cowley’s 36th minute drive was diverted for a corner by Sam Griffiths. 3 minutes later, they went one better, COWLEY netting with a 20-yard volley from Perry Cotton’s cross.
The visitors came out on the front foot after the break, and Luke Walsh volleyed straight at Fallows from 20 yards after 47 minutes. Shifnal continued to press and were rewarded in the 56th minute when SAM GRIFFITHS slid in to net from close range from Jack Kelly’s cross. 2 minutes later, with the hosts pressing for an equaliser, the ball was played forward for HILL who lifted the ball over the advancing keeper and into the empty net from 40 yards. The hosts were rocking by now, and the visitors made sure of victory on 67 minutes when a cross from the right was diverted into his own net by LEWIS NOON. 2 minutes later, a wretched pass by Asa Charlton fell to Tom Smith, who should have pulled a goal back, but his 20-yard shot was narrowly wide of the far post. 3 minutes later, Walsh’s angled effort was deflected for a corner off a defender. Green’s corner-kick was met by Leslie, but his header came back off the crossbar. Hill had a couple of late chances for his hat-trick, but was off-target each time. 2 minutes before the final whistle, Whitehouse made a fine save to deny Smith’s low shot from just outside the penalty area.
ATHERSTONE: Keelan Fallows, Perry Cotton (Louis Baker 59mins), Chris Cowley, Darren Eggleton, Jamie Hood, Nathan Astill (Fionn O’Brien 76mins), Tom Smith, Lewis Noon, Kevin Hemagou, Jake Brown, Ryan Quinn.
Subs not used: Joe Obi; Mitch Piggon; Connor Gudger.
Cautions: Cotton (55mins); Eggleton (75mins); Hood (90mins).
SHIFNAL: Adam Whitehouse, Josh Green, Jack Kelly, Sam Griffiths, Asa Charlton, Joe Thompson, Luke Walsh (Kane Lewis 82mins), Steve Leslie, Tom Hill, Jeremy Abbey, Tyrone Ofori (Max Chimenes 77mins).
Subs not used: Mikey Nelson; Ashley Brown.
Attendance: 301.
Referee: Nick Gray.
Assistant referees: Michael Bingham.
Michael Jones.
Shifnal Star Man: Tom Hill.
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