Match Reports - December 2006

Bedworth United 1 - 0 Rushall Olympic

ABANDONED AFTER 45 MINUTES - WATER LOGGED PITCH

British Gas Business Football League Division One Midlands

Saturday 30th December 2006

It was a game that Rushall Olympic could ill afford to lose following four consecutive defeats that had dragged them perilously close to the relegation zone, but it proved to be wasted journey down the M6 to face Bedworth United after the encounter was abandoned due to a water logged pitch during the half time interval with the home side one goal ahead.

The pitch was already thoroughly soaked before the game even commenced, particularly through the central areas, but the visitors began in good form as conditions quickly deteriorated under foot.

However on 6 minutes, with the Pic's on the attack, in all too familiar fashion Rob Holdcroft lost possession within a glue pot centre circle and Adam Kinder was released with a decisive through ball. As Ryan Price advanced off his line to narrow the angle it was enough to put off the striker who could only roll his effort wastefully wide of the left post from the edge of the area.

In the 14th minute Bedworth front runner Adam Kinder turned marker Adam Wood inside out near the left bi-line before centring low to the far post where Paul Spacey somehow side footed wide of the target when it appeared far easier to score.

Rushall's paper thin squad was tested to the limit on 18 minutes when they lost top scorer Neil Kitching with an arm injury as a result of a heavy fall following a foul challenge, leaving Jason Barton to plough a lone furrow up front. However, from the resulting free kick Rob Holdcroft delivered a useful looking ball from the half way line into the box that was flicked on by Adam Wood into the path of Ben Porter whose 10 yard header struck the intersection of the top right woodwork that fortuitously bounced to safety.

As the first half progressed the rain once more gathered momentum and as the ball began to visibly stick in the mud it rapidly turned the contest into a lottery for both sides.

A flash point on 27 minutes saw Rushall coach Steve Johnson dismissed by the referee after rising to the bait of some foul mouthed abuse from one of the Bedworth United contingent situated behind the dug outs.

On 34 minutes substitute Tim Jackson was presented with the ideal opportunity to give the visitors the lead, but after being put clean through into the Bedworth box the winger's deflected rising drive from 10 yards went well wide for a corner kick.

At the other end three minutes later Pic's stopper Ryan Price was called into action as Paul Spacey latched on to a through ball, but the wide man's low drive from the edge of the area was well smothered.

However, with the visitors on the offensive they found themselves victim of a classic sucker punch goal right on the stroke of half time when Jae Martin was allowed to peel off his marker and with Rushall's woefully square defence caught cold Bedworth's skipper cut inside from the left channel and drove the ball into the bottom left corner from the periphery of the penalty area past the despairing dive of Ryan Price.

As persistent rain continued to fall throughout the interval the three match officials ultimately emerged from the dressing room with a ball in hand to confirm that the pitch was becoming increasingly unplayable and a halt was finally called to proceedings.

Bedworth United: 1. Craig Johnson, 2. Tom Starkey, 3. Jim Holmes, 4. Richard Kavanagh, 5. Liam O'Neill, 6. Rennalls, 7. Paul Spacey, 8. Mick Feely, 9. Adam Kinder, 10. Jae Martin ©, 11. Jamie Williams. Subs: 12. Luke Baker, 14, Dave Sheward, 15. Danny Harrison, 16. Martin Crawford, 17. Andy Kemp.

Rushall Olympic: 1. Ryan Price, 2. Lee Gough, 3. Ben Smith, 4. Richard Brown ©, 5. Adam Wood, 6. Neil Barnfield, 7. Leon Allen, 8. Rob Holdcroft. 9. Jason Barton, 10. Neil Kitching, 11. Ben Porter. Subs: 12. Tim Jackson (for Kitching 20), 14. Anthony Maguire, 15. Rob Vassell, 16. Rory McFarlane, 17. Joe O'Connor.

Referee: Mr. M.J. Amphlett (Kidderminster)

Rushall Olympic 0 - 1 Leighton Town

British Gas Business Football League Division One Midlands

Saturday 23rd December 2006

A dreadfully poor display from Rushall Olympic sent them spiralling further towards the relegation zone as they succumbed to an unpalatable single goal defeat on home turf to basement outfit Leighton Town who, to add insult to injury, somehow completed the double over their hosts.

The Pic's latest debacle followed just 11 days on from their last outing where they also tasted defeat against previous bottom club Berkhamsted Town, but sadly on this occasion the performance was shocking to say the least against equally deficient opposition.

Rushall's penchant for slow starts almost cost them dear in only the second minute of play when 'keeper Ryan Price was forced to smartly parry Mark Bowland's pacey 20 yard low drive around his left post for a corner.

The home sides response came 6 minutes later when Tim Jackson's corner from the right was eventually cleared only as far as Anthony Maguire whose stinging low snap shot whistled marginally wide of the right post from the edge of Leighton's box.

On the quarter hour mark Ryan Price was yet again called into action when a highly dubious free kick awarded in the visitor's favour on the left flank was met by a towering downwards header from a Town attacker that was brilliantly kept out at full stretch to his right by Rushall's stopper.

As woefully disjointed Olympic continued to lurch from one crisis to another as Leighton out thought and out fought their loftier opponents with worrying ease, on 27 minutes Rob Vassell as forced to hack the ball off the line with a last ditch clearance as Bilal Hassan latched on to a corner and fired off a low drive from 10 yards out.

The inevitable finally happened on the half hour mark when Rushall's slumbering defence watched Ben Gallant weave his way into the right side of the penalty area before dispatching the ball across Ryan Price and into the opposite corner from 10 yards.

Three minutes later and with Rushall in total disarray Bilal Hassan all too easily ran clear of skipper Richard Brown, but as the Town striker found himself in a one-on-one situation with Ryan Price the custodian advanced off his line to narrow the angle and an ultimate low shot was well held to avert the imminent danger.

Two minutes prior to the break and Olympic thought they had a good shout for a penalty turned away as top scorer Neil Kitching was seemingly barged off the ball by defender Andy Fagan, but the match officials were having none of it.

As the second period degenerated into a turgid affair where ultimately neither 'keeper was forced into making any crucial saves, the closest the home side came to forcing an equalising goal came in the 56th minute when an in-swinging centre from the left by Tim Jackson was met by Neil Kitching's powerful 8 yard header, but stopper Nigel Maarman was equal to the challenge and tipped the ball around his left post for a corner.

As the home support became increasingly frustrated by the frightfully inadequate standard of football on display, Rushall appeared incapable of responding positively to either encouragement or censure and even with the referee generously providing 7 minutes of stoppage time they still failed to even test Leighton's 'keeper with a worthwhile strike on goal and stumbled to a third consecutive defeat.

Rushall Olympic: 1. Ryan Price, 2. Lee Gough, 3. Rob Vassell, 4. Richard Brown ©, 5. Adam Wood, 6. Neil Barnfield, 7. Anthony Maguire, 8. Rob Holdcroft. 9. Jason Barton, 10. Neil Kitching, 11. Tim Jackson. Subs: 12. Ben Porter (for Maguire 69), 14. Ben Smith, 15. Rory McFarlane, 16. Leon Allen (for Barnfield 69), 17. Joe O'Connor.

Leighton Town: 1. Nigel Maarman, 2. Andy Fagan, 3. Jason Haggerwood, 4. Ben Martin, 5. Peter Clifford ©, 6. Mark Longman, 7. Ieuan Lewis, 8. Mark Bowland, 9. Bilal Hassan, 10. Ben Gallant, 11. Charlie Cunningham. Subs: 12. James McNulty (for Bowland 74), 14. Keith Scott (for Bilal 86).

Referee: Mr. R.J. Parker (Telford)

Berkhamsted Town 3 - 2 Rushall Olympic

British Gas Business Football League Division One Midlands

Tuesday 12th December 2006

Report Source: Walsall Advertiser

Ten-man Rushall battled back from 2-0 down to get back on level terms, only to gift Berkhamsted Town a winner 13 minutes from time.

The Pic's showed plenty of spirit, but the damage was done in the first half when they had Brian Gray sent off after only 11 minutes, then conceded two sloppy goals. Gray was booked following a late tackle and then had the second card brandished in his face almost immediately after foolishly berating the referee.

Things got worse in the 36th minute when a cross from the left evaded the visiting defenders and was turned home by Martin.

When Butler scrambled home Berkhamsted's second goal five minutes later, the game looked up for Rushall. However, they gave themselves a lifeline on the stroke of half time when Anthony Maguire hammered home a cracking goal from the edge of the box.

And they completed a remarkable comeback 20 minutes into the second half when Neil Kitching forced home the equaliser.

But rather than settle for a point, Rushall continued to push forward in search of a winner and were caught on the break by Richardson.

Rushall Olympic 2 - 3 Malvern Town

British Gas Business Football League Division One Midlands

Saturday 9th December 2006

For the second time in three home games Rushall Olympic were sentenced to defeat by a side from the lower reaches of the British Gas Business Football League Division One Midlands who they would have expected to have triumphed against.

On this occasion they were twice forced to come back from being a goal behind, before ultimately conceding a late goal to a Malvern Town side who they had outplayed in football terms for most of the game. However, a combination of a wonder strike from the visitors and two goals conceded through clinical counter offensive moves, aided and abetted by some questionable defending, gifted all three points to the Worcestershire outfit.

Rushall began the game at a fast and furious pace and for the first 20 minutes of the contest they were confidently stroking the ball around the pitch as they continued from where they had left off the previous week against Solihull Borough. However, on 23 minutes they received a warning of the shape of things to come when 'keeper Chris Gemmell came to his colleagues rescue as he dashed down his left bi-line to intercept an attacker before being forced back into his goal and making a tremendous parry to block out a pacey 12 yard effort from the Malvern strike force.

Not for the first time in recent years Olympic fell victim to the good old fashioned sucker punch as their attack quickly degenerated into shambolic defending and the conceding of a goal against the run of play. As Rushall's Ben Porter was sent racing through on goal with only the Town 'keeper to beat the striker appeared to be well short of confidence and weakly stroked the ball straight at his adversary from the edge of the box with a large portion of the goal at his mercy. However, the ball was rapidly deployed deep into Olympic's territory and was picked up by front runner Ed Lyons who, from out of nowhere, sent a 25 yard curling effort into the top right corner past the unsuspecting Chris Gemmell who was positioned well off his line to make the task all the more easier.

To their credit the Pic's continued to play the game as it was meant to be played and on 36 minutes they were deservedly back on level terms when a period of sustained pressure ended with midfielder Anthony Maguire rifling home his third goal of the season from 8 yards through a crowded goalmouth.

Unfortunately, Rushall's vulnerability on defensive duties was again almost ruthlessly exposed three minutes later when stopper Chris Gemmell was once more called into action as he denied Ed Lyons with a great block to keep out the strikers powerful downwards header from 10 yards.

As Olympic continued with their struggles to defend set pieces convincingly, a minute before the interval a corner from the left was initially repelled only as far as Gary Walker on the left face of the penalty area who lashed the ball through a sea of legs and marginally wide of the right post.

Straight from the commencement of the second period Rushall were caught stone cold when Malvern skipper Wesley Joyce received the ball during the kick-off, looked up and spotted 'keeper Chris Gemmell off his line, before sending a lofted effort from the centre spot, over the custodian and into the back of the net. Whether the strike was a brilliant piece of opportunism or a highly fortuitous fluke was certainly open to debate, but nonetheless it meant that the visitors had taken the lead for the second time in the contest and left the home side with an uphill struggle to salvage something from the game.

Once again the home side manfully set about the task of restoring parity and on 51 minutes wide man Tim Jackson finally began to show the sort of form that can make him a defenders nightmare and produced an intelligent through ball that sent Neil Kitching racing clear. However, despite the usually reliable front runner finding himself in a one-on-one situation with Malvern stopper Craig Humphries he meekly struck the ball straight at his antagonist and the ideal opportunity of bringing his side back on to level terms had evaporated.

With Olympic continuing to press, midfielder Rob Holdcroft tried his luck from 25 yards in the 64th minute after being set up by the tenacious Anthony Maguire, who had twice wrestled possession from his opponents in the build up, but the effort curled over the woodwork.

On 69 minutes Rushall eventually hauled themselves back into the contest by levelling the score line at 2-2 thanks to an excellent move that began with Neil Barnfield and Ben Smith combining to send Tim Jackson scampering down the left flank. As the winger zipped past his marker to get right behind the Town defence he neared the bi-line and centred invitingly into the danger zone where the in-rushing Neil Kitching lashed the ball home from 6 yards to net fifth goal in three games and take him to the top of the Dales Lane goal scoring charts.

With the home side now pushing evermore forward in search of a winning strike, in the 83rd minute Tim Jackson again caused havoc down Malvern's right by making a 20 yard run and centre, but on this occasion Neil Kitching could only lifted his effort over the bar from 8 yards after nipping in between two defenders to make a telling connection.

As Olympic continued their assault forward the gaps being left behind in their rearguard were beginning to be increasingly exploited by the visitors on the counter offensive and on 86 minutes the home side survived a real let off when they needlessly lost possession deep in Malvern territory.

As play moved swiftly to the other end and with four hastily retreating defenders failing to pick anyone up, a goal bound strike eventually came from inside the right face of the box and somehow Ben Smith scrambled the danger off the line with a last ditch clearance.

Unfortunately, the Pic's failed heed the stark warning and with less than a minute of normal time remaining on the watch, with their marking pitifully at sixes and sevens, a clinical Malvern attack saw the ball moved from the left channel to the right side of the penalty area where the totally unmarked Neil Gardiner was picked out who venomously drove home the winner at the first time of asking inside Chris Gemmell's near post.

Rushall Olympic: 1. Chris Gemmell, 2. Lee Gough, 3. Ben Smith, 4. Richard Brown ©, 5. Adam Wood, 6. Neil Barnfield, 7. Anthony Maguire, 8. Rob Holdcroft. 9. Ben Porter, 10. Neil Kitching, 11. Tim Jackson. Subs: 12. Brian Gray [for Maguire 89], 14. Jason Barton [for Gough 60], 15. Rory McFarlane, 17. Joe O'Connor.

Malvern Town: 1. Craig Humphries, 2. Ian Stevenson, 3. Nick Clayton, 4. Andy Cartwright, 5. Andy Jones, 6. Jamie Hyde, 7. Gary Walker, 8. Shaun Findlay, 9. Ed Lyons, 10. Wesley Joyce ©, 11. Neil Gardiner. Subs: 12. Dave Faulkner [for Walker 89], 14. Dan Harding-Hall, 15. Paul Edwards, 16. Richard Tomkins, 17. Nick Butler.

Referee: Mr. D. Gratton (Solihull)

Solihull Borough 0 - 4 Rushall Olympic

British Gas Business Football League Division One Midlands

Saturday 2nd December 2006

Rushall Olympic romped home to their biggest victory of the campaign so far as they totally destroyed Solihull Borough in their own back yard by four goals without reply for the second season running. The hosts tormentor in chief was undoubtedly hat-trick hit man Neil Kitching who claimed an impressive treble during a devastating 12 minute second half spell to add to Ben Porter's fourth minute opener, while at the other end Chris Gemmell's excellent penalty save just after the half hour mark helped secure the added bonus of a crucial clean sheet.

The Pic's couldn't have wished for a better opening when in the 4th minute Tim Jackson's corner from the right was initially repelled, but as the wide man received the ball again he delivered a fine centre into the danger zone that Ben Porter deftly headed into the bottom left corner from 8 yards.

Despite the set back the home side responded and on 26 minutes, with Rushall's rearguard looking in vain for an unforthcoming off-side flag, burly striker Rory May stole a march on his marker by cutting into the left side of the box and was presented with a free strike on target from barely 6 yards out that cannoned off the foot of the near post and was eventually scrambled away to safety.

On 32 minutes Rushall were infuriated with the referee when Borough's second top scorer Aaron Farrell darted into the penalty area and defender Richard Brown appeared to make an excellent well timed tackle to rob the front runner of possession. However, as Farrell went all too easily to ground the match official incredibly pointed to the penalty spot, but more curiously was the fact that despite the Pic's skipper being the last man he was only cautioned for the alleged infringement. As former Coventry and Lincoln target man Rory May strode forward for the conversion attempt and drilled the ball towards the bottom right corner, 'keeper Chris Gemmell dished out his own form of justice by diving at full stretch and blocking out the rasping drive, before grasping the loose ball safely at the second attempt.

Maintaining their advantage was an obvious boost for the visitors and within five minutes of the controversial incident Anthony Maguire swung a peach of a cross in from the right channel that was met by a towering header from Neil Kitching, who could only look on as his powerful effort easily got the better of 'keeper Tony Breedon but frustratingly rattled off the crossbar and rebounded to relative safety.

Solihull rather lethargically emerged out of the starting blocks for the commencement of the second period and within 11 minutes of the restart paid for their sluggishness as Rushall claimed a devastating double within the space of 60 seconds that all but secured the three points on offer.

On 56 minutes Neil Barnfield tenaciously won possession in midfield before sending Neil Kitching racing clear through the centre and into the periphery of Solihull's area with a well timed through ball. As the striker homed in on the target he drilled the ball clinically into the bottom left corner from 15 yards past the despairing dive of the home custodian.

Immediately from the restart the visitor's were straight back on the offensive and with the home backline under pressure once more former Olympian Richard Munday attempted to play an ill-advised pass back towards his own goal that was intelligently intercepted by Neil Kitching. As the forward drifted out towards the left corner of Borough's 18 yard box in one fluent movement he looped a superlative first time effort with the outside of his boot that looped into the top left corner past the outstretched hand of Solihull's stopper.

On 66 minutes Rushall 'keeper Chris Gemmell was very much alert to the danger as he pulled off a superb point blank save to deny danger man Aaron Farrell who made a penetrating run into the outskirts of the visitor's area and unleashed a venomous snap shot. As the ball was parried sideways defender Rob Vassell was on hand to mop up the situation and make a timely clearance.

However, as normal service resumed it was little surprise when Olympic applied a final flourish to the score line in the 69th minute through Neil Kitching, who completed a marvellous personal hat trick in the space of just 12 minutes. As the Pic's applied some telling pressure the ball bounced around Borough's penalty area and as a massive penalty appeal rang out in the aftermath of an alleged hand ball offence, Rushall's second top scorer continued regardless and lashed clinically home from close range past the shell shocked Tony Breedon.

Rushall comfortably played out the remainder of the second period and could even have increased their considerable advantage further with three minutes remaining when with his first touch of the game playmaker Simon Truman latched on to fellow substitute Brian Gray's ball across the face of Solihull's area and smashed a venomous 25 yard drive marginally wide of the left upright.

Solihull Borough: 1. Tony Breedon, 2. Gary Moran, 3. Richard Beale, 4. Nick Mowl, 5. Michael Crawford, 6. Richard Munday, 7. Jerome Grandison, 8. Phil Rowe, 9. Rory May, 10. Aaron Farrell, 11. Jamie Petty ©. Subs: 12. Steve Ruck [for Rowe], 14. Gareth Allborough, 15. Lawrence Rawlings, 16. Tom Griffin, 17. Jack Byrne [for Petty].

Rushall Olympic: 1. Chris Gemmell, 2. Lee Gough, 3. Rob Vassell, 4. Richard Brown ©, 5. Adam Wood, 6. Neil Barnfield, 7. Anthony Maguire, 8. Rob Holdcroft. 9. Ben Porter, 10. Neil Kitching, 11. Tim Jackson. Subs: 12. Brian Gray [for Kitching], 14. Ben Smith [for Vassell], 15. Rory McFarlane, 17. Simon Truman [for Maguire], 18. Joe O'Connor.

Referee: Mr J.W. Thorhill (Ilkeston)