Daventry Town 3 Barwell 1

Canaries bow out after extra time … and penalties.

This was not pretty to watch. Barwell came out strongly and were on top for the majority of the first half but after the break they had little to offer against a Daventry side that grew in spirit as the game progressed.

Kev Charley opened the scoring after just 14 minutes and Barwell held the lead until a contentious penalty levelled for Daventry just after the half hour. Daventry had a chance to win in normal time but for an excellent double save from a penalty just before the end which prompted a half an hour of misery for the visitors.
This included a missed penalty but to have scored would only have been a consolation.

Daventry scored twice as Barwell tired and at the end the better team on the night were victorious.

Early exchanges were end to end with no-one able to penetrate the defences.

After 12 minutes a bouncing ball fell kindly for Chris Hannah who beat Chris Hollist and ran past him. Hollist brought the nippy winger down and was shown a yellow card for his tackle.

Two minutes later a penetrating ball from Jai Stanley found Kev Charley who danced around two defenders before slotting the ball past former Nuneaton Borough Youth team goalkeeper Joe Mellins. Mellins did get a hand to the ball but not enough to prevent the goal.

Five minutes later Daventry responded as Luke Edwards ventured up front and shot but his drive went well wide.

After 22 minutes Barwell were awarded a free kick for a foul on Luke Barlone. Jai Stanley took the kick and found Liam Daly on the six yard line. Daly’s header was heading into the top right corner of the goal but Mellins somehow managed to leap and turn the ball around the post for the corner.

From the corner, Stanley found Daly who headed goalwards, the ball was kicked off the line and into the path of Scott Rickards. Rickards’ drive hit the bar and rebounded to Rikki Bains who headed goalwards only to find Louis Bishop on the line.

After 32 minutes John Powis had a shot from distance which brought a neat gather from Liam Castle but this had been their best effort to date.

Daventry equalised from the penalty spot soon after as referee Mr. Cheosava adjudged Mason Rowley to have deliberately handled a ball that was driven at him from point blank range at pace. Nathan Hicks converted the spot kick to draw the home side level.

After minutes, Scott Hadland broke through the middle of the Daventry defence. Edwards brought Hadland down as he neared the box and a free kick was awarded. The Daventry defender could have considered himself lucky to have escaped with a yellow card for the offence despite the protests of the away side.

After the break the home side came out with a determination that was lacking in the Canaries.

Three minutes into the half, a free kick led to a telling ball into the box from Jack O’Grady that found a diving Stuart Hendrie on the six yard line. Fortunately for Barwell the ball ended just the wrong side of the post.

After 52 minutes Scott Cross had a chance to shoot from distance but his effort changed course in the air and whistled past Liam Castle’s left post.

A minute later Hollist brought down Bishop which could have spelled disaster as he had already been booked but the referee was satisfied with a final warning.

Shortly after, Hollist was replaced by Tyron Amory.

After 57 minutes Luke Barlone fell foul of the referee and he was booked for a foul on Craig Milligan.

Two minutes after, O’Grady was again in the mix as he shot goalwards only to find Castle able to turn the ball round his post.

On 64 minutes, Scott Hadland received a ball from Pete Saunders and he rifled it into the area. In a move very reminiscent of the penalty award for Daventry, the ball struck one of the defenders as he defended himself with his hands. Hadland appealed for the penalty but on this occasion the referee did not want to give the spot kick.

Barwell were coming under pressure form Daventry as first Adam Corfue and then Stuart Hendrie drew good saves from Liam Castle.

As the game approached 80 minutes, Daventry peppered the Barwell goal forcing concerted defensive efforts from Castle and the back line, notably Liam Daly and Mason Rowley.

Following a free kick on 80 minutes for which Jai Stanley was shown a yellow card, the ball was played onto the goalline and it ran across the line with Castle scrambling after it.

With 4 minutes left of normal time, Hendrie had a shot from the edge of the box which cannoned off the right post with the Barwell defence looking on helplessly.

In the last minute of normal time, Daventry were awarded a penalty following a foul by Liam Castle at the feet of Nathan Hicks who was running into the box. Hicks took the kick himself and on this occasion, Castle made a tremendous save and gathered the rebound at the feet of Stuart Hendrie who was following up.

Barwell had a chance to snatch the tie in the second minute of stoppage time but Luke Barlone headed Jai Stanley’s cross just over the bar.

Thus the game entered extra time and Barwell were subjected to an onslaught by Daventry substitutes Claudiu Hoban and Nathan Demonte who took advantage of the tiring players around them.

Daventry took the lead at the end of the first period of extra time as Louis Bishop lobbed the ball over Liam Castle from close range.

Five minutes later, the home side extended their lead as O’Grady and Hoban broke quickly and outpaced the Barwell defenders who had ventured forwards to try and grab back the deficit. The ball was squared for O’Grady who had the simplest of tap-ins.

Barwell were awarded a penalty a minute later as Scott Hadland was brought down in the Daventry box. Jai Stanley strode up and took the kick, missing the goal by some distance.

Barwell lost after extra time and a story of three penalties awarded, one not. One scored, one saved and one missed.

So Barwell made their exit from this year’s League Cup competition after a tired performance against a competent Daventry Town side who boast a number of quality players in their line-up.

Despite all in front of him, Liam Castle was much the busier of the two keepers and his performance including a penalty save was excellent. For this he was awarded the Man of the Match.

Team: Liam Castle, Rikki Bains, Chris Hollist (Tyron Amory 56), Mason Rowley, Liam Daly, Jai Stanley, Scott Rickards (Lineker Lashley 90), Scott Hadland, Luke Barlone, Kev Charley (David Blenkinsopp 67), Pete Saunders.

Subs not used: Scott Lower, Guy Sanders.

Goal: Charley 14 (assist Stanley).

Yellow Cards: Hollist 12, Barlone 57, Stanley 80

Attendance: 94

Penalty Save: Castle 90.

Man of the Match: Liam Castle.