ROBINS ROBBED AS EARLS ESCAPE WITH A POINT

Following the narrow victory at home to Barnt Green Spartak the previous weekend, The Robins were looking to improve on their poor ‘goals to chances’ ratio following a host of missed opportunities as they visited a struggling Earlswood Town FC. With new signings Charlie Morris making his debut and Dylon Bennett named as a substitute, it was a strong looking Knowle FC team who took to the sloping ‘pavilions’ pitch on a warm and sunny autumn afternoon.

The first chance of note came in the 11th minute when debutant Morris worked his magic down the left wing before chipping the ball forward for Hague to run onto but the home keeper was alert and just beat Hague to collect the ball as it bounced on the edge of the box.

Earlswood Town created a couple of half chances in the opening exchanges utilising their ‘long throw’ which was delivered at pace into The Robin’s penalty box but on each occasion the visitor’s defence was equal to the aerial threat and defended comfortably.

In the 19th minute Hague had another excellent chance to open the scoring as he drilled a shot from distance which nearly caught the keeper wrong footed but he managed to scramble across his line to tip the ball round the post for a Knowle FC corner.

On 24 minutes another good move from The Robins saw Morris involved yet again as he played an excellent through ball into the box for Seeley to run onto but as he set himself to shoot an excellently timed last ditch tackle from the Earls centre half averted the danger.

In the 35th minute, Fox was cautioned for a ‘clumsy’ tackle in midfield but the home side wasted the free kick.

With the half drawing to a close it was the visitors who looked more likely to score but the half time whistle came with Tregartha not having had to make a single save and the home keeper making just the one save from Hague.

Half Time: Earlswood Town FC 0 vs 0 Knowle FC

The second half started as the first had finished with The Robins on top and in the 48th minute another excellent chance was spurned as Delaney played a pass into the feet of Morris who turned superbly before driving forward and playing a neat ball inside to Seeley who shot just wide of the far post.

Shortly after on 51 minutes Andrews tried his luck from distance but his powerful shot flew narrowly over the bar with the keeper just an observer.

On 52 minutes a real controversial moment in the game occurred as Morris tried to hook the ball over his head as he ran towards the by line, the ball clearly struck the arm of the home defender and the only possible outcomes could be a free kick for handball or a corner yet somehow and inexplicably the referee awarded a goal kick ???? Unfortunately Morris argued his point too vociferously for the referee’s liking and was sent to the ‘sin bin’ for 10 minutes.

On 63 minutes the home side created an opportunity but the ball was cleared by The Robins and fell to Hague on the edge of his own 18 yard box, he put his head down and drove almost the full length of the pitch until his was scythed down just outside the Earlswood Town 18 yard box, Hague picked himself up to take the free kick but he drilled the ball straight into the defensive wall.

The deadlock was finally broken on 78 minutes as the excellent Morris again drove down the left wing before delivering a teasing cross to the far post where CULLEN smashed the ball home from 6 yards out.

The home side reacted positively to the set back and created a few half chances before they eventually drew level in the 85th minute, a long ball down field from the keeper was flicked on in midfield to a clearly offside attacking player, yet another unbelievable decision from the match officials saw the assistant referee keep his flag down ?? The attacker himself even stopped as he expected to see the flag raised but when it wasn’t he drove forward and dispatched the ball into the far corner of Tregartha’s goal.

This controversial moment lifted the visitors and they created good chances of their own in the dying minutes and on 90+2 minutes they regained their lead as substitutes Bennet and Paterson combined with the latter delivering a pinpoint pass into the feet of HAGUE who turned neatly before driving the ball into the far corner of the net.

The Robins thought the great escape was completed and that they would be leaving with all 3 points but on 90+5 minutes another long ball forward from the Earlswood keeper caught Tregartha off his line and a speculative, first time volley from the home striker looped over the retreating Tregartha’s and into the net.

Shortly after the restart the referee blew the final whistle to the obvious joy of the home side and the clear disbelief of The Robins!

Full Time: Earlswood Town FC 2 vs 2 Knowle FC

Knowle FC Starting Line Up: Tregartha, Cullen, Payne, Fox, Delaney, Cosgrove ©, Seeley, Regan, Hague, Andrews, Morris

Subs Used: Corry for Fox (65’), Bennett for Regan (75’) and Paterson for Seeley (84’)

Subs Unused: Dodd and Galloway

Knowle FC ‘Man of the Match’: Morris

Knowle FC Yellow Card: Fox, Morris (Sin Bin), Cullen

Knowle FC Goals: Cullen (78’), Hague (90+2’)

Following the match, Robin’s Manager, Clive Seeley said, “I’m disappointed at the result and also with some extremely questionable decisions from the match officials but ultimately we failed to manage the game properly ourselves and it is definitely 2 points dropped by us and we were caught by the sucker punch twice as Earlswood scored 2 goals from just 2 shots on target throughout the entire game. On a positive note I thought Charlie Morris had a great full debut and was involved in everything good that we did and Dylon Bennett gave us different options when he made his debut from the bench”