SHIFNAL TOWN 1 UTTOXETER TOWN 0
Midland Football League, Premier Division
Tuesday 31 January 2023
This was a poor game, with neither side looking like breaking the deadlock until a late strike earned the hosts maximum points. The first half was played mainly in the Uttoxeter half of the field. Tom Hill had a chance after 8 minutes, but his header from Josh Green’s cross was too high. Then Shifnal debutant Steve Leslie tried his luck from 25 yards in the 12th minute, but his shot passed a foot over the crossbar. Midway through the half The home side looked as if they might open the scoring when Luke Walsh played a through ball for Joe Thompson, but Lennon Grimley was quickly off his line to block the shot. Shifnal came closer on 38 minutes when Hill’s header from Leslie’s corner was cleared off the line by a defender.
The second half continued in the same vein, with the home side carrying the most threat.3 minutes after the break, Hill cut in from the right, his 20-yard shot taking a wicked deflection off a defender and passing inches wide of the post with Grimley beaten. 2 minutes later, Walsh almost caught the keeper out with a scuffed shot which was scrambled round the post for a corner. Shifnal really should have scored in the 61st minute, when a cross from Jack Kelly was only cleared to Hill, who fired over from 7 yards. The visitors’ first attempt on goal came after 64 minutes from Kymani Hunter’s cross, but David Ndene headed miles over. The same player missed a great opportunity to give the visitors the lead on 70 minutes, when Asa Charlton uncharacteristically missed his tackle, leaving Ndene one-on-one with Adam Whitehouse, but the keeper managed to divert his low shot for a corner with his outstretched foot. The only goal of the game came out of the blue after 79 minutes, when substitute TYRONE OFORI picked up the ball in midfield, surged forward and lashed the ball into the bottom corner of the net from 20 yards.
SHIFNAL: Adam Whitehouse, Josh Green, Jack Kelly, Sam Griffiths, Asa Charlton, Ashley Brown, Mikey Nelson (Tyrone Ofori 58mins), Joe Thompson, Tom Hill (Max Chimenes 70mins), Steve Leslie (Jeremy Abbey 70mins), Luke Walsh (Kane Lewis 81mins).
Sub not used: Emem Jones.
UTTOXETER: Lennon Grimley, Craig Swinfield, Jack Hassall, Dan Harper, Tom Thorley, Julius Ndene, Zion Nisbitt, Romehl Critchlow, David Ndene, Kymani Hunter, Rory Regan.
Subs not used: Reuben Kenny; Charlie Ratcliffe; James Curley..
Attendance: 98.
Referee: Daniel Ellis (Bromsgrove).
Assistant referees: Phil Felton (Wolverhampton).
Gareth Kibby (Telford).
Shifnal Star Man: Asa Charlton.
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