County Development Squad 3 Colne FC 4 ( Lancashire League West)19 November 2014
I am really
at a loss to understand just why people do not flock to watch County`s
Development matches in great numbers. The contests invariably have lots to
offer....good football, and loads of goals being just two of the ingredients!
Last night
was no exception as a very young County side took on Colne FC under the Edgeley
Park floodlights. Frequently County find themselves pitched against sides older
and clearly physically bigger than themselves and again last night, with the
visitors on average a foot and a couple of stone bigger per player, it was so
again.
From the off
it was a rip roaring encounter with Colne pressing forward , and County,
marshalled well by Scott Duxbury in the first half, biding their time and
defending well.
This was underpinned by terrific performances from Wes Benjamin
( M.O.M for me), Leon O`Malley who having played RB on previous occasions I
have seen him and done well, turned out in central defence this time, switching
to LB when Dux went off at the break, and Elliott Watson who shone like a
beacon under pressure on a dark night, with some really good defending.
The
upshot was that a goal from Joe Noblett saw County go in 1-0 up at the break. Jordan
Lazenbury added two excellent goals after
this , but Colne kept pegging away- equalising twice, but with just 6 minutes
left County were still 3-2 up and looking like winners, until Colne`s physical
edge came into play allowing them to snatch a third equaliser on 86 minutes and
the winner in the games last gasp.
This was
hard on a County side that had looked in good shape and always tried to play
decent football, but life is like that...you do not always get out of it what
you think you deserve! That said there are a number amongst the County squad,
some of whom I have flagged up already here, who look like going on to good
careers in the game, under A.L`s tutelage, and this will have been valuable
grist to that particular mill!
Back to 7.45
then, and straight from the off Colne piled forward on the attack through Brandon Barski who sent
Dan Russell clear ,only to see Duxbury track back and stop the rot.
The
pressure continued via a free kick that saw the Colne Russell clear the bar
with a shot. Nathan Bond joined in, and was unlucky to find no one in position
to apply a finish to his cross with barely 6 minutes played. Good defensive
work from Leon O`Malley shortly after, ensured that Russell`s attempt to go one
better was thwarted.
A move
involving Duxbury, Will Hartley and Jordan Lazenbury then put Colne under pressure
for a time, but they withstood this well and hit County on the break via the
burly Lee Barrett who brought a decent save out of Billy Worthington in the
County goal. Colne kept the forward push going though and Charlie Russell did
just enough to ensure that Barski could not get a shot off from a corner.
This was
clearly going to be some test for County`s young side, but Hartley and O`Malley
showed that they could pass muster with some tidy work disposing of runs by
Barrett and Barski.
The first
real chance for County came after 15
minutes through Duncan Capriotti who brought a fine save from Colne keeper
Stuart Cross after an incisive run down the right. Joe Noblett got in the act
as well, but lifted his shot over the bar. Capriotti seemed to be nicely warmed up now, and a neat
pass by Lazenbury teed him up for a strike at goal that he executed precisely
only to see Cross produce another decent stop to deny him!
It was
nip/tuck for a time after this....Lazenbury taking Russell`s pass but lifting
his shot over the bar at one end, whilst a Lee Barrett run at the other saw his
shot do no more than ruffle the side netting of Billy Worthington`s goal. O
`Malley weighed in with more excellent defending to stop Bond who had been put through by a dangerous ball into
the box, before capping this with a ball out of defence that gave Capriotti the
chance to steal clear and whip a shot in on goal. The shot missed.......but
Leon and Duncan had showed us a glimpse of what might be possible! Yes.....they
had...... and within seconds of this action, County had the lead thanks to Joe
Noblett whose appearance in the box saw him slot the ball home from 5 or 6
yards out!
That was
good stuff, and more almost followed via Elliott Watson, who was showing up
well on the right side of the back four, but a powerful run from him rounded off by a neat pass inside to Noblett,
saw Cross in action again pulling off another good save to keep Joe`s strike
out!
County were
looking really good now, and Colne`s confidence seemed to have taken a knock,
so much so that a sweeping blue move saw Capriotti and Noblett surge through
down the middle. Capriotti had the ball and, with Cross the only impediment to
a second County goal, should have shot, but instead he elected to pass to
Noblett and the chance was gone because the ball never reached him.
On.....on it
went....with Charlie Russell doing his bit by setting Mike Hampson up for a
shot that somehow Cross kept out with an outstretched leg! Cross was working
small miracles for Colne at this point, and another save, with just 5 minutes
left of the half, kept a strike by the impressive Elliott Watson out after good
work by Capriotti.
In the run
in to the break.....Will Hartley was unlucky to see his final ball for Mike
Hampson, just cut off by a defender, but mainly in the 4 or so minutes
remaining it was Colne who did the attacking, bringing the very best out of Wes
Benjamin in doing so, and Leon O`Malley did well too ensuring it stayed 1-0 to
County as the teams went in at half time.
The re-start
saw Kieron Crosthwaite on in place of Scott Duxbury, which meant County going 3
at the back.....Crosthwaite slotting in on the right side of midfield with Joe
Noblett going deeper to offer cover
in front of Watson, Benjamin and O`Malley.
This formation
seemed to work pretty well, indeed County came closest to adding to the score,
on 53 minutes, as an incisive ball from Kieron Crosthwaite set Charlie Russell
up for a decent shot that Cross just kept out again with his legs!
Surely
County would add to their lead soon, wouldn`t they? But no..... twice after
this Wes Benjamin was in action saving the day as the visitors hit us on the
break.... and again Benjamin did the biz stopping Barski at the expense of a
corner. The kick saw Barrowclough rise unattended to head over the bar. An
escape then........but a warning too, but it wasn`t heeded and within a minute
another corner saw Nathan Bond head the equaliser home from close in!
Hmm..........it
was 1-1.......but for about a minute.....as County hit back quickly like good
teams usually do, and a flick on by Joe Noblett sent Jordan Lazenbury scooting
clear through the middle. Cross advanced in the forward`s direction doing his
best to smother any shot on goal, but Lazenbury`s finish brooked no argument as
the shot was placed under the keeper`s body into the net!
That was
really excellent....it was 2-1, and County sails had wind billowing in them now
as the talented Chas Russell combined with Jordan Lazenbury to push Colne back
again. Lazenbury`s cross was a good one, but required work from Mike Hampson to
keep the move alive ,and provide Russell with a shot on goal, which that man
Cross again thwarted with some sterling keeping!
With George
Blackwell on for Will Hartley, County went into the last 20 minutes or so still
2-1 up, but coming under increasing pressure. Thankfully the back 3 was still
doing incredibly well, with Benjamin the pick with some great work at just
about every turn.
Jordan Young
came on for Duncan Capriotti ,with the pressure building on County , and Billy
Worthington did well to keep a Barski strike out with 15 minutes
left........the ball was still loose however and Barski latched onto it again
,thumping another shot in on the target, which Leon O`Malley cleared off the
line in heroic style!
We needed
County to get forward and take the pressure off the back 3,and they did that
through Noblett who combined nicely with Russell to cause the visitors a
problem or two, but the referee penalised Charlie for......err......not sure
what really, and the move petered out!
The pressure
was back on the blues then, but first O`Malley...then Benjamin chipped in with
crucial defensive work, followed not long after by Watson who performed brilliantly to deny Barski who
had sneaked clear and looked odds on to score!
It was not
all Colne...... Jordan Young lost out on a run ,owing to weight of numbers in
the last third, and Young combined with
Blackwell to set another raid up that was ultimately Cross`s chance to show us
what he could do again!
It was still
2-1 then, and with just 7 minutes left, there seemed no real reason to doubt
that, despite all the Colne hard work, County might just emerge with the points........and
then it happened.....Barrowclough latched onto the ball near the
touchline...way out....and fired in a looping high one that curled into the far
top corner of the net beyond Billy Worthington`s attempts to keep it out!
That was a
bummer......so late on too, but remarkably...County did the `good team bit’
again and scored almost immediately, as Jordan Young seized on a loose ball to
send Jordan Lazenbury darting clear again. Again Cross tried to deny the ex
Fleetwood striker, but it was a lost cause and the County number ten slid the
ball home to give his side a 3-2 lead, with just 6 minutes left!
Again this
enlivened the blues and Cross just managed to block a Lazenbury hat-trick with
his legs after Hampson and he had filleted the Colne defence, and then just
stop Crosthwaite`s follow up!
A Kieron Crosthwaite free kick on the way ! |
That last
double save was probably crucial to the direction of the match, as within a
couple of minutes Colne were level , as Worthington stopped but could not hold
onto a shot from Barrowclough, allowing Barrett to blast it home from close in!
Barski then
had the ball in the net from a corner, but the referee had seen a foul on the
keeper and there was never any doubt that it would remain 3-3 at that point.
It looked to
be staying 3-3 as well.....Benjamin was still offering up his master class of
A1 defensive work in the service of his team, and those in blue around him were
working hard to emulate him, but.... deep into added time one loose ball too
many was seized onto by Barski, who promptly slammed the ball into the net to
give his team a win and all the points!
Disappointing......yes.......
end of the world......not!
County will
surely come back from this...will you be there to watch them though? Surely you
will not want to miss another thriller like this one!
County line
up;
Billy
Worthington, Elliott Watson, Scott Duxbury (Kieron Crosthwaite 45), Wes
Benjamin, Leon O`Malley, Charlie Russell, Duncan Capriotti( Jordan Young 72),
Joe Noblett, Michael Hampson, Jordan Lazenbury, Will Hartley ( George Blackwell
66).
Colne FC
line up:
Stuart
Cross, Scott Moore, Alex Grice, Luke McVarish( Mark Young 60) , Richard Cowan,
Mike Woodvine, Nathan Bond, Jason Barrowclough, Lee Barrett, Brandon Barski,
Dan Russell( Louis Percival 45).
Subs not
used;
Richard
Johnson, Jordan Scott.
Ian Brown
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