WHITCHURCH ALPORT 3 SHIFNAL TOWN 3
Midland Football League, Premier Division
Saturday 13 August 2022
This game was a wonderful advertisement for Step 5 football, with both sides looking to get maximum points from the first minute to the last. Considering the searing heat and the rock-hard playing surface, there could have been several things to blame for reduced effort, but this was just not the case. Jordan Evans signalled the intent of the hosts after just 3 minutes, as he burst past two defenders before firing into the side-netting from 25 yards. A minute later, Mike Nelson did the same at the other end, Ashley Rawlins diving to save his 20-yard effort, then picking himself up to deal with Keanu Cooper’s follow-up. Jordan Evans was always dangerous, and in the 21st minute, he was unlucky to see his 20-yard drive come back off the foot of the post. The opening goal after 28 minutes was simplicity itself, as Town keeper Sheridan Martinez picked out Josh Green on the right, his low cross being turned in at the near post by TOM HILL. With their tails up, the visitors took control of the game, and moments before the half-time whistle, they doubled their advantage. A brilliant run on the left by Joe Thompson, during which he beat several defenders, ended with him pulling the ball back to HILL, who fired into the roof of the net from 15 yards. A minute into stoppage time, Jordan Evans was again unlucky with a first-time effort from 15 yards which came back off the crossbar.
2 minutes into the second period, the game could have been all over as a free-kick from Harvey Lewis flashed across the face of the Alport goal and Emem Jones was inches from connecting with a diving header. The hosts came back into the game from the penalty spot on 50 minutes, when Jones was adjudged to have fouled ALEX HUGHES, who picked himself up to dispatch the spot kick. Play was now end to end, and the visitors extended their lead after 64 minutes, when a corner came out to ASHLEY BROWN, who smashed the ball past Rawlins from the edge of the penalty area. 2 minutes later, the visitors struggled to clear the ball, allowing HUGHES to drive into the far corner of the net from 20 yards. The hosts were rampant now, and an equaliser looked inevitable. It came in the 77th minute when a fine ball down the right found HUGHES, who turned inside and fired into the far corner of the net. Shifnal had a chance to win the game on 87 minutes, when substitute Tyrone Ofori was through on goal, but a poor touch allowed Rawlins to steal the ball.
ALPORT: Ashley Rawlins, George Carpenter, Junior Brown, Sean Griffiths (Joe Hunter 75mins), Aaron Simms, Dennis Nielsen (Joe Care 86mins), Alex Hughes, James Rowland, Jud Ellis (Joe Flory 57mins), Jordan Evans, Kieran Evans (Ivan Urvantev 67mins).
Sub not used: Tabari Maxwell.
Cautions: Nielsen (47mins); Hunter (90mins).
SHIFNAL: Sheridan Martinez, Josh Green, Jack Kelly, Ashley Brown (Lewis Jarman 69mins), Sam Griffiths, Emem Jones, Harvey Lewis (Kane Lewis 72mins), Joe Thompson, Tom Hill (Tyrone Ofori 79mins), Keanu Cooper (Joe Berks 79mins), Mike Nelson (Jack Fishman 85mins).
Cautions: Thompson (31mins); Jones (50mins).
Attendance: 169.
Referee: Sam Rowley.
Assistant referees: Henry Gregory.
Chris Sale.
Shifnal Star Man: Tom Hill.
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