EMCL - Gedling Miners Welfare 0 -v- 2 Borrowash Victoria

Gedling lose 2nd on the bounce as Borrowash cause upset

Gedling Miners Welfare ………. 0
Borrowash Victoria ……………... 2 (Taylor, pen 22, Bennett 61’)
(HT 0-1)

Borrowash Victoria caused the biggest upset in the East Midlands Counties League this weekend as a Matt Taylor penalty and a Lewis Bennett effort in the second half gave them a shock victory at Gedling Miners Welfare on Saturday afternoon.

The home side started brightly and from the off hoped that their midweek loss at Selston was simply a blip in form. As early as the 3rd minute, debutant Tyrell Shannon-Lewis crossed delightfully for his colleagues from the left but it wasn’t anticipated as the ball trickled out for a goal kick. A minute later and the striker dragged a shot wide of Lewis Soal’s goal after evading the attention of Adam Spencer as they set about settling any pre-match complacency.

Borrowash visited Plains Road looking for a turn in fortune after their torrid start to the season and it seemed they were in no mood to succumb to another defeat. Lynton Francis acrobatically registered his side’s first effort on goal but Danny Brown collected with ease. 3 minutes later and Zac Harrison stung a shot from the edge of the area through a crowd of players following some promising build up play between Matt Taylor and Jordan Sanders but Brown matched the effort at the second attempt in difficult conditions underfoot.

Shannon-Lewis went close to putting his side in front on the 18th minute but Soal wasn’t troubled. 3 minutes later and Aboubacar Sylla, typically following a direct route and finding himself around Gareth Hague, unconventionally tested Soal but was foiled by a combination of the ‘keeper and Liam Baggualy who read the danger superbly.

Whilst no team really dominated proceedings, the game was certainly turning into an enjoyable one on the eye for the neutral as Borrowash certainly came to spoil the party. Contrary to their season so far, they played some very neat and interact football and, in the 21st minute, their performance was rewarded.

After some good retention from midfielder Sam Oakfield under pressure, his pass found the onrushing run of full back Myles Cooper and after he danced his way into the box, was felled by Bijan Pakrouz and referee Scott Mason pointed to the spot to give Borrowash the chance to register only their 4th league goal of the season.

Under pressure, Matthew Taylor stepped up and duly dispatched the spot kick to give his side a deserved lead.

Seemingly undeterred by finding themselves in an unrecognisable position, Borrowash didn’t rest on their laurels and looked to extend their lead. Shortly after the half hour, Sanders’ low drive skidded the wrong side of the post with Brown beaten.

The visitors looked good and were good for their lead. Their calm defensive approach teamed with their tenacious mentality seemed they wanted the contest more than Gedling who were below par on the day.

The home side continued to press, however, but were finding Soal and company a tough nut to crack. Dwayne Brown looked to send the teams in level at the break but, after Soal had punched a Ross McCaughey corner to safety, he couldn’t keep his volley down. In the last act of the half, Shannon-Lewis controlled well on his chest and, in one swift movement, volleyed just wide of the target with an effort that had Soal scrambling.

With the first attack of the second half, a long ball from deep wasn’t convincingly dealt with by Baggualy in the tricky conditions and it seemed the defender handled but all protests were waved away as the officials had deemed there was no intent in the action. 6 minutes later and Francis swept wide a shot following a Lewis Bennett corner as the visitors looked to pick up from their first half showing.

Owing much to their inconsistent start to the season, Gedling showed very little and were disappointing on the day following some extremely positive performances of late. Their opponents, meanwhile, remained defiant and things got even better for them when, shortly after the hour, they doubled their lead.

After Sanders found himself with time and space in the middle of the park, his defence-splitting pass found the run of Bennett and, after Abraham Kingsley kept his flag down to any protests, the winger delightfully curled his shot around Brown into the far corner as his teammates rushed to commemorate the effort.

2 minutes later and they nearly added to Gedling’s woes as the impressive Francis smashed an effort off the crossbar that left Brown rooted.

Gedling seemed frustrated and anything they seemed to put on their counterparts wasn’t paying off. In the 68th minute, Shannon-Lewis and Joe Meakin combined and the midfielder’s dangerous cross fizzed across the 6 yard box with no end touch and the opportunity went begging in a piece of action that typified their afternoon.

Despite the scoreline, Borrowash didn’t consolidate their position and sought that third goal that would ensure all 3 points went back to Derbyshire. 15 minutes from time and substitute Taylor Gardner should have sealed the win but, after finding himself in behind a static home defence, his hesitancy, almost emanating from the belief he was offside, allowed Brown to close the angle and the ‘keeper saved well with his feet. From the resulting corner, Harrison flicked just wide as defensive questions were asked.

As time ticked, Gedling posed very little in front of goal, though continued to create half chances. 10 minutes from time, in a carbon copy to his earlier effort, Shannon-Lewis, after being found by a great ball from Kamran Frost, controlled well and fired a goal bound volley but his effort was thwarted by Soal as the skipper aimed to preserve his first clean sheet of the season. A minute later and Courtney Hastings met the subsequent McCaughey corner but Spencer deflected wide much to the annoyance of those in yellow as they concluded that it wouldn’t be their day.

5 minutes from time and Meakin, driving into the box, clipped the outside of the post via an outstretched leg from Hague as Borrowash edged closer to their first, and deserved, victory.

Through their own admission, Gedling were poor and didn’t do enough to warrant anything from the game. Dejected, and to summarise their afternoon, substitute Tristan Comery, a minute from time, struck a free kick over the crossbar that was never going to trouble Soal or Borrowash who were rightly delighted with the sound of the final whistle.

Gedling put their inconsistent league form behind them next time out when they visit Wollaton of the Notts Senior League Premier League next Saturday (29th September) in the Nottinghamshire Senior Cup, kick off 3pm.

Match Attendance – 44

Referee – Scott Mason
Assistant Referee – Miles McKinlay and Abraham Kingsley

Gedling Miners Welfare – Danny Brown, Bijan Pakrouz (Mason Coy 74’), Ross McCaughey (c), Dwayne Brown, Liam Corrigan, Charlie Roberts (Tristan Comery 66’), Jack Millward, Joe Meakin, Courtney Hastings, Tyrell Shannon-Lewis, Aboubacar Sylla (Kamran Frost 62’)
Unused Substitutes – Sam Mellor, Tremain Freestone

Borrowash Victoria – Lewis Soal (c), Gareth Hague, Myles Cooper, Liam Baggualy, Adam Spencer, Sam Oakfield, Jordan Sanders (Taylor Gardner 67’), Lynton Frances, Matt Taylor, Zac Harrison, Lewis Bennett (Josh Timmens 86’)
Cautions – Spencer (foul 44’), Cooper (dissent 88’)