Honours Even at The Valley
25th November 2023: Birmingham United 0-0 Knowle FC
Although the sun shone brightly all afternoon, it was bitterly cold at The Valley. As Referee Paul Rodway blew the final whistle the temperature was just 3 degrees.
As to the football, United began the brighter, The Robins started slowly and nervously. For twenty minutes the home side were on the up, however when Knowle found their feet they were more than a match for their opponents.
It was an afternoon of few clear-cut chances and a plethora of mistakes. United promised much, but delivered very little. Only twice in the game did they really threaten The Robins’ goal, and on both occasions Craig Johnson saved the day. In the first with a miraculous save, and in the second with sheer presence to foil Alex O’Keefe.
At the other end, United had to defend seven shots on target…three of them ought to have produced goals. All were fluffed. For the most part it was The Robins’ defence that was on top, with Joe Riddiford shining. Up front his teammates could have done much better.
If the first half had been played out mainly in mid-field, the second period was very different. The Robins increased their pace, and pushed their hosts back into their own half, reducing them to the long – hopeful – ball forward. A tactic that Messers Johnson, Taylor, Riddiford, Clarke, and Rainey were more than capable of controlling.
As the game began to slip away from United they tuned on the rough-stuff. Referee Rodway issued five yellow cards to United in that second period. United committing nine offences to The Robins’ three. One had to be proud of Knowle men, who refused to be provoked and ended the match with no cards issued.
Is this result a point won, or two lost? One suspects The Robins’ management see it as two lost. However, Knowle are still undefeated away from the Draintech Community Ground, still to concede an away goal. With eighteen league games still to play, one has to remind oneself that the football season is a marathon, not a sprint.
On Saturday 2nd December, Knowle travel to Field Lane, Solihull to face Hampton FC in a County Saturday Vase Second Round fixture. KO is at 1400.
