Depleted Cooks show strength in depth to see off Ampthill Town.

Saturday 15th July 2017 3pm
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
COGENHOE UNITED (2) 2 v AMPTHILL TOWN (1) 1
Cooks; Clamp 26 Ansell 33
Ampthill; Holmes 12 (pen)

With both centre-backs from last week’s game at Raunds missing, Josh Melling and George Barnell came in for their first games of pre-season, while Harry Chipchase started in midfield and Ashley Clamp up front, where he was joined by Jory Mann from Sileby Rangers. Another Sileby player was on the bench in the shape of Dominic Okanu, where he was joined by Michael Parkes, who played a couple of games for us last season, promising youth teamer Ollie Emery and reserve team pair Lewis Galpin and Jacob Cox.
Cogenhoe came out all guns blazing and Liam Tuck saw his powerful strike tipped over inside the first few seconds. Mann played a great low ball across the face of goal, but Clamp just couldn’t get onto it. Clamp cut in and hit an effort from distance that the keeper got his body behind before lovely exchange of play saw Clamp again have his low shot saved. Liam Tuck headed over as he met Ryan Ansell’s corner beyond the far post, but on twelve minutes the visitors took the lead against the run of play, as Jamie Gould brought down an Ampthill player after a good break opened us up at the back. Sam Holmes fired the penalty low to Stuart Lutter’s right and into the corner of the net.
Mann saw a shot from just outside the box go over the top but Ampthill threatened again down the left and Lutter came out of his box to get a foot to the ball. With the keeper still not back in front of his goal, Holmes crossed it over, but with a yellow shirt homing in on the ball at the far post, Jamie Gould got a foot to the ball and with Lutter stranded, the ball went just outside the post and Cogenhoe breathed again. A huge clearance from Lutter saw Mann do well down by the corner flag and he set up Ansell to whip in a cross, but Tuck’s glancing header went wide of the far post. On 26 minutes Cogenhoe finally got off the mark as Ansell played in a great corner and Clamp met it with a thumping header that gave the keeper no chance. A great ball from Ansell split the visiting defence open and Clamp drilled in a low shot that the keeper did well to get his hands to and as Mann went for the rebound, a defender did well to get there first at the expense of a corner. Another very good move that involved Chipchase and Tuck, gave Mann a very good chance, but he fired straight at the keeper from deep inside the box. With 33 minutes played, Gould and Mann exchanged slick passes before the former pulled the ball back to Ryan Ansell, who hit a lovely first time shot past the keeper from the centre of the box. Really good move and an excellent finish to give us the lead for the first time. Gould gave Tuck the chance to make a run down the left again and he skinned the full-back before playing in a great cross that Mann met with his head at the far post, but couldn’t keep it under bar height. An Ampthill corner saw Ansell clear his lines and find Clamp halfway, who in turn played an exquisite pass with the outside of his boot that saw Mann cut in and fire a shot on goal, but the keeper got down well to save. Gould got in a vital header as Ampthill pressed but with half-time approaching, Chipchase was left in considerable pain as an opponent landed on him following a challenge and he had to be helped from the field. Dominic Okanu came on meaning a reshuffle with Gould going into the centre, Jacob Gartland moving to left-back and the sub replacing him on the right. Tuck again breezed past the right-back and this time played it inside to Clamp, but he got right under his shot and it sailed well over the top.
Half-time; Cooks 2 Ampthill T 1

Okanu played a low ball in for Clamp, but he was crowded out as he tried to turn inside the box. The same two players were involved in a similar move moments later and this time Clamp drove his shot towards the near post where the keeper touched it onto the woodwork. The ever-dangerous Clamp was unlucky again after Tuck picked him out with a cross, but the strikers header hit the bar this time. Gould almost got in but for a vital foot-in from a defender that robbed him, before Tom Chapman made a couple of swaps. On came Cox and Galpin who both went up front, with the previous two going into wide positions. Cox was soon in the thick of it, but he slipped at the vital moment and his shot went wide. Clamp went close again as he forced the busy keeper into another save and Melling headed just over from Mann’s corner. The final two subs came on with just over twenty minutes remaining, with Parkes going into a central midfield holding role and Emery going down the right flank. Cox did well to win possession in the Ampthill box before turning and shooting just over the top. Emery saw a low drive saved by the keeper from the right side of the box, Galpin made a great run but his shot was too close to the keeper, before he did well in the centre and picked out Emery’s run, but he couldn’t keep his shot from an angle down enough to trouble the keeper.
A good performance from Cogenhoe and two out of two pre-season. Ampthill were a spirited team, but the score could easily have been so much worse for them. Considering we had so many players unavailable today, it was a very positive performance from the squad. Clamp looked superb, Tuck needs a bit more fitness, but was a real threat in the first half. George Barnell put in a great display today and the youngster really caught the eye. Jamie Gould is a superb signing for Chapman and his experience is something we were lacking at times last season, Ryan Ansell looked good on the flank and played some great balls today. Jacob Gartland again had to swap flanks early in the game, but looked solid on both sides, Josh Melling impressed me in his first game of the season a centre-back while Harry Chipchase was looking good in the centre of the park and I hope his injury isn’t as serious as it first looked. Skipper McBride was his usual self in the centre. It was difficult for Jacob Cox and Lewis Galpin to go on upfront together, but they both showed some good touches and put in decent performances, while young Ollie Emery got into some great positions and manged a couple of shots on target settled in straight away. Another one for the future I feel. The other three players, Dominic Okanu, a player I rate, did really well at right-back and I would like to see him sign for us. Jory Mann had a superb game. Unfortunately he has signed for Sileby Rangers, but it would be great to see him make the move after today’s performance. He is a real ball player and would create chances for the likes of Ryan Dove and Matty Long as well as netting himself. Finally Michael Parkes, just came on for the last twenty, but is always solid and an influential head in the midfield. I doubt he’d want to play in the UCL Premier on a regular basis, but would be a real asset to the squad should he sign on the dotted line.
Long Buckby are up next on Tuesday night as Tom Chapman looks to make it three out of three.
Cooks team; 1. Stuart Lutter 2. Jacob Gartland 3. Jamie Gould 4. Josh Melling 5. George Barnell 6. Sèan McBride © 7. Ryan Ansell 8. Harry Chipchase 9. Ashley Clamp 10. Jory Mann 11. Liam Tuck. Subs all used; 12. Dominic Okanu 14. Ollie Emery 15. Michael Parkes 16. Lewis Galpin 17. Jacob Cox.