Uhlsport United Counties League

Premier Division

Northampton ON Chenecks vs Rugby Town

Saturday 26th December 2020

Billing Road Northampton.

Report and photos from Finbarr Carroll.

The Chens hosted the Valley on a day when only 3 games in the league were scheduled to be played. A large crowd was in attendance to see the game with an early kick-off of 1pm, despite the early kick-off, it was such a dull day that it wouldn’t be long before the floodlights would have to be turned on it seemed.

Chens manager Ben Foster was forced into making a few changes in his team with more than a few players out injured or suspended. Rugby Town manager Carl Adams did have a full squad to choose from with this being his club’s first game in 2 months.

The Valley kicked-off with the opening few minutes seeing the Chens creating more of the early chances with the Valley goalkeeper Sam Lomax being kept on his toes and forced into using his height to punch clear any danger balls into his area.

Some fine attacking play down the Chens right flank saw by Lewis Irwin saw Irwin get a cross into the box, Valley keeper punched the ball away from his goal with it falling to Chens Matty Reeve who managed to get a shot on target from a tight angle which was blocked by a brilliant last ditch tackle from Valley’s team captain Loyiso Recci.

It was from another Chens attack that we got our first goal of the game in the 14th minute when Valley failed to clear the ball up-field away from danger with Chens Ryan Archer took the ball and from just inside the Valley box, fired a shot at target leaving keeper Lomax clutching at fresh air as the ball sailed past him. 1-0.

Valley’s Dylan Parker had a chance of a goal, but his effort from long range failed to hit the target to force a save out of Chens keeper Justin Greatorex. Chens captain Joe Lewington was having a solid game in defence as was Sam Watkins in trying to preserve the lead they had.

Another fine run from Chens forward Lewis Irwin saw him get into the Valley penalty area where he went tumbling over, all shouts for a penalty kick where turned down by referee Harry Price who waved play on.

A brilliant tackle from Chens defender Jonny Muddiman, saw him get up from the floor and put in a fine run up-field trying to force his side forward for a second goal, but the Rugby defence held firm.

With the half-time break looming, a long ball forward saw it collected by a Chens defender who was then pressed by Valley’s forward Charlie Evans who robbed the ball and got a pass into his team-mate Charlie Evans outside the Chens box, Evans stretched for the ball and managed to get it to his colleague Dylan Parker who rifled the ball into the net for an equaliser. Half-time 1-1.

It was Chenecks who were back out on the pitch after the break a good 5 minutes before Rugby Town and we finally got the second half underway at 2,04pm, Valley manager was that late coming out of the changing room, he had to walk back to his dugout the long route via the cricket side of the ground and around the top goalmouth.

The first few efforts in the second half fell to the Valley with a long range shot from Caine Elliot that was saved by Chens keeper Greatorex. An effort from Dylan Parker for the Valley saw the Chens clear at their near post.

A break from the Chens saw a long ball headed back by a Valley defender but having fallen short gave Chens forward Matty Reeve a chance, but Reeve was unable to get the ball under control before the Valley keeper Lomax had rushed out to the edge of his area to take the ball away from Reeve.

A Valley free-kick into the Chens area was met by the head of forward David Kolodynski, but his header went just over the bar. Kolodynski was playing in his first game for the Calley since 2018.

Rugby were pressing forward more and more. I was somewhat confused as to exactly what position Danico Johnson was playing as he was all over the place, at one time, he was even in the right back position picking the ball up. He was having a fine game along with a few other players on the park.

A couple of more chances fell to Valley’s Dylan Parker, first a shot that was blocked, shortly followed by a cross from Danico Johnson with Parker getting a head to the ball nodding downwards towards the goal but Chens keeper Greatorex made a super save diving to his left and managed to hold onto the ball.

The Chens made a substitution in the 66th minute bringing on Jordan Sweeney replacing Ben Lewington.

We got our first booking of the day from referee Harry Price when Chens midfielder Ash Ogden saw a yellow card for what I cannot say because neither I, nor the people stood around me (socially distanced) on the cricket side of the ground, saw what happened for Ogden to get booked. This was a hard game with some tough tackles, but it was a clean game as well.

The game was quite even between the two sides, but the Valley were creating more of the chances in the final third of the pitch the longer the game went on. The Chens, on a break up-field, saw winger Matty Reeve with a chance but with Reeve through in on goal, Valley keeper Lomax was alert to the danger and came a long way out of his goal to thwart the effort from Reeve by diving on the ball.

With barely any time left in the game and a draw looking like the end result, in the 87th minute, Valley midfielder Caine Elliot received the ball just inside the Chens box and and managed to toe-poke he ball into the Chens net. 1-2

A spate of substitutions followed the Rugby second goal with Chens introducing Mitch Sharpe for Oli Pardoe and Valley replaced Dylan Parker with Ryan Seal. Josh Thomas had come on the pitch for the Chens, but I had missed that sub as it must have been done when I was writing a note. The reason why I mention Josh Thomas was because the last real chance of the game fell to him when waiting to get control of the ball in the Rugby penalty box, it was only a last ditch tackle from Valley player Jamie Hancocks that deprived Thomas of a shot. Final score 1-2

Teams

Northampton ON Chenecks

Justin Greatorex

Jonny Muddiman

Luke Davis

Sam Watkins

Joe Lewington (c)

Ash Ogden

Ryan Archer

Oli Pardoe

Lewis Irwin

Ben Lewington

Matty Reeve

Substitutes

Matt Deane

Mitch Sharpe

Jordan Sweeney

Harley Mallard

Rugby Town

Sam Lomax

Recci Loysio (c)

Lee Thomas

iam Francis

Jamal Clarke

Caine Elliot

Dylan Parker

Jamie Hancocks

David Kolodynski

Danico Johnson

Charlie Evans

Substitutes

Caine Thomas

Justin Marsden

Josh Thomas

Bleu McNeil

Ryan Seal

Referee; Harry Price

Assistants; Keith Lawrence, Zach Cunningham.