Tuesday 18/7/17
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
LONG BUCKBY (0) v COGENHOE UNITED (5) 5
Tuck 25 (Pen)
Burrows 28
Ansell 38, 45
Cayton 45

Cogenhoe United travelled to Long Buckby on Tuesday for their first taste of midweek action this season. There were a number of changes to the team from Saturday with Jake Cayton partnering Josh Melling at the back. Liam Tuck took the captain’s armband and partnered Sèan McBride in the centre of midfield, Joe Shanley came in on the left side of midfield while Nathan Burrows and Alastair Duncan started up front. Three subs today with Ryan Cooke the only new face, joining J’nai Steede and Jacob Cox.
The game was very slow to get going, Stuart Lutter took a Buckby free-kick comfortably and Cayton did well to beat Ahmed Maybe to a high ball into the box. Ryan Ansell won a header in the middle of the park and Tuck took it on to the edge of the box before firing in a shot that flew over the bar. An Andy Yeates free-kick held up on the breeze and Cayton did well to get his head to it, but it fell for Ty Wilson inside the box and Lutter reacted quickly and blocked his effort. Cogenhoe had plenty of possession without causing too many problems for the home defence, although they had a flurry of corners to keep the pressure on. A slick move that started with Shanley on the left, involved Duncan and Tuck, before Shanley ran into the box where he was illegally upended by a defender. Liam Tuck took on Luke Stone’s old role and placed it neatly into the keeper’s left-hand corner to give the Cooks the advantage after 25 minutes. Three minutes later it was two-nil. Jamie Gould made himself some space and delivered the perfect cross that Nathan Burrows met with a powerful header that gave McCarthy no chance. Tuck then cut inside and struck a low shot that McCarthy did well to get down to and touch round the post.
A bit of a mad moment from Lutter saw him throw the ball straight to Wilson just outside the box, but Cayton came to his rescue to deny the striker a shot. Wilson did get the better of Cayton and fired in a shot, but Lutter made the save. A good turn from Burrows in the box saw him get in a shot that was blocked. Ansell was quickest to the loose ball and he curled a shot towards the far top corner, but a defender got his head to the ball. Tuck’s ensuing corner was headed down by Burrows towards Duncan, but he was penalised for a high boot. On 38 mins McBride started a move, Shanley exchanged passes with Tuck before playing a low ball across the box and Ryan Ansell met it with a good finish into the corner. Four minutes later it was four as Jake Cayton brought down an Ansell corner and fired it high into the net. Ansell was at his best during this spell and he cut inside before hitting a low shot towards the far corner, but a combination of a defender’s boot and quick reflexes from the keeper kept it out. He didn’t have to wait long though as Duncan got a foot to a poor clearance, Burrows played it through to Ansell who beat the keeper with a low drive. Cogenhoe were ripping the Buckby defence to pieces at this point and they must have been relieved to hear the half-time whistle. I think the last time I saw the Cooks five-up at the break was at Ludlow Town in the FA Vase and I’m not sure many of today’s team would have started school back then!
HT; Long Buckby 0 Cogenhoe United 5
Tom Chapman brought Ryan Cooke on for the second half as Cogenhoe continued on the front foot. Melling picked out Burrows run with a great through ball and he forced another save out of McCarthy as we continued to play some lovely football. McCarthy dived bravely at Duncan’s feet as the lively striker tried to steer the ball past him, then Ansell found Duncan and he got his shot on target, but again McCarthy made the save. Liam Tuck was impressive in the centre of the park and his determination won back the ball and he laid it wide to Cooke, but a defender cut out his low cross.
Just after the hour we saw run-outs for J’nai Steede and Jacob Cox as Cogenhoe continued to push forward. Burrows picked out Duncan in the box with a great cross, but the striker’s volley was blocked. Steede did well to get a cross in from the left but it deflected off a defender. Duncan didn’t seem to have much chance of getting to the loose ball, but he somehow beat the keeper on the touchline and pulled the ball back, but it hit Burrows rather than the other way around and it bounced behind for a goal-kick. Ansell hit a thirty-five-yard free-kick well over the top while Shanley went closer with a shot on the turn after a great run and pull-back by Cox. In the dying seconds, Cayton almost added a sixth following a corner, but his shot was blocked on the line and Cogenhoe had to settle for a goalless second half.
A solid performance from Cogenhoe with five goals in twenty first half minutes giving them a convincing victory. Lots of plusses today with some strength in depth in evidence should these all sign on.
Cooks line-up; 1. Stuart Lutter 2. Jacob Gartland 3. Jamie Gould 4. Josh Melling 5. Jake Cayton 6. Liam Tuck © 7. Ryan Ansell 8. Sèan McBride 9. Alastair Duncan 10. Nathan Burrows 11. Joe Shanley. Subs all used; 12. Ryan Cooke 15. Jacob Cox 17. J’nai Steede.

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