Robins Let It Slip

The First Half of this match was a carbon copy of last week’s match at Hampton. Knowle were well short of their capability. Passes went astray. It seemed impossible for them to find a team mate. The heavy pitch did not help, of course and the home side, with more spirit than technique, took advantage.  But, it was Knowle who found the conditions difficult. Their First Half performance was truly awful. Defensive errors were rife, and two led to goals for the home side. As early as the third minute HEWITT took full advantage as his team mates cut through the Knowle mid-field and defence like a knife through butter, leaving him to score with ease.

Town were well on top and the Robins found life difficult. About the fifteen minute mark we had a moment of sheer farce. The Referee’s Assistant, Mr Alan Dennis flagged for offside against a Town player. The whistle blew and play stopped. Jack Tregartha came forward to take the kick. He placed the ball and retreated to run up and take the kick. The Referee, My Lloyd Bell, then decided that play should continue and waived play on. Town took full advantage and pupped the ball into the net. At this turn of events, the Mr Bell disallowed the goal and insisted that the offside kick be taken. Everyone was dissatisfied and bewildered.

Shortly after this, Town were awarded a free kick right on the eighteen-yard line and just left of centre. Mr Bell paced out ten yards which the Knowle defence thought rather generous to the home side. As this was going on, the Town kick-taker took the ball placed by the Referee back a yard. Then thought better of it and moved it back another yard, thus improving his angle and placing the defensive wall some twelve yards away. The kick bounced out only to be put in by the lurking WARD. But did the ball cross the line? It hit the bar and bounced down and the Assistant, Mr Dennis flagged, but he was some fifteen yards down the touch line. To say the Knowle contingent were displeased is an understatement.

Brandon Hague was receiving rough treatment from the Town defence, and although no foul in his favour was awarded throughout the whole match, he never let it get him down, He got up, dusted himself off and got on with the game. The second period was, again like last week, a different matter. Some ten minutes into the second half, LUKE FOX turned home a punched clear effort. One minute later, he headed home a corner for the equalizer. 

Twenty five minutes before the close, ZAK HARBON let fly from thirty yards to take the lead. Then he was sent off for two yellow cards. This turned the game. Knowle retreated into their shell and thus invited Town on to them. First WARD got his second, before ELWELL grabbed all three points for the home side.  A bitter pill to swallow, but mostly self-inflicted. There is much work to be done on the Knowle Training Pitch this week.

Knowle FC: Tregatha; Corry; Payne (Seeley); Fox [54][55]; Cosgrove ©; Delaney; Morris (Galloway); Bennett; Hague (Bailey); Cullen; Harbon [69]. Yellow Cards: Harbon (2) & Bennett   

           

Next match: Saturday 29th January 2022 Away to Inkberrow at the Recreation Ground, Sands Road, Inkberrow, WR7 4PX. KO 1400.

Photos courtesy of the Mowdog - https://themowdog.blogspot.com/2022/01/alcester-town-4-3-knowle-fc-independent.html

1 - Luke Fox leaps high to score his second

2 - Zak Harbon fires home his goal