Men's First Team Squeeze Past Fairfield Villa

Two well matched sides competed in this game. So well matched, in fact, that for long periods they just cancelled each other out. Fairfield Villa are a good side who prefer the passing game, but like The Robins in this match, so many easy, simple passes went astray.  It was a match littered with simple mistakes. Mid-field and defences were well on top to the extent that we saw just three – yes 3 – shots on target in the whole game, each one resulted in a goal, with one a penalty.

Having said that, it was compelling to watch. There were good footballers on display on both sides, and one feels that this is the standard of MFL Division Two football now. It took decisive action to prise open these defences. Two minutes into the time Referee Jones added on at the end of the First-Half, The Robins were awarded a Penalty. There were no complaints from the visitors, and DYLON BENNETT made no mistake from twelve yards.

The Second Half followed a pattern similar to that of the First. That is until CONNOR DOYLE unleashed a fierce effort from all of twenty-five yards. It defeated Craig Johnson between The Robins posts all ends up.  Both sides had ‘goals’ chalked off for off-side, as they both went for the win. Knowle were living dangerously, allowing Villa to play in the their half of the Park, and even in The Robins' area. Yet they were kept at bay.

A cross from the left resulted in some pin-ball in the Villa six yard area, Martin fumbled, and his legs just would not carry him to retrieve the ball. JACK MULLINS was on hand to tap the ball home and secure the three points for the Robins.  There was still time for Fairfield Villa to force a Corner which was criminally wasted. Mullens could – should(?) - have had a second when put through the middle, but shot wide.

It was all over. The Robins had indeed ‘squeezed’ past Fairfield Villa. As for the visitors, for the second week in a row they ended with just nine players on the Park. Last Monday they had two sent off, in this match Fitzgerald saw red for two yellows, and Doyle was sent to the Sin-Bin four minutes into added time. It was just not their day.

Knowle FC: 

Craig Johnson; Lewis Rainey; Reece Staley; Lewis Clarke; Lewis Cosgrove ©; Joe Sinton (Ash Weeks); Dylon Bennett [45+2 P]; Owen Ward (Jack Mullens [85]); Reece Hewitt; George Seeley (Ben Jones); Charlie Morris (Yasin Al-Massry) Sub not used: Christian McArdle.

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Forthcoming Fixtures:

SAT 10th SEPT 2022: KO 1500: Boldmere S & S F AWAY

SAT 17th SEPT 2022: KO 1500: v Alcester Town HOME