Saturday 17th July 2021

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
SILEBY RANGERS (0) 1 v COGENHOE UNITED (1) 3
Pre-season game number five and a short trip to play Sileby Rangers on the hottest day of the year so far. The same squad as Tuesday (minus the isolating Jack Daldy, but with a re-shuffle so we were confident of continuing the progress we have shown so far.
Cogenhoe were quickly on the front foot and Will Bates saw a couple of shots blocked inside a packed area before Dylan Wilson went on a run through the left channel that left three defenders in his wake before firing a powerful shot just over the bar from a tight angle. A great ball from Faz Rahman picked out Jordan Orosz at the far post and his low shot was well saved by the home keeper who then dived bravely at the feet of Rico Alexander to block his follow-up effort.
Craig Foxall was called into the action with a great tip-over from a beautifully struck Luke Stevens effort from 25-yards out. Stevens then won the resulting corner but his header was just over the bar. One-time Cogenhoe trialist Jory Mann had a chance to go for goal from a free-kick a few yards outside the Cooks box, but his effort was a couple of yards too high as Sileby had a good spell.
Back down the clubhouse end and Wilson turned his marker on the edge of the box but couldn’t get enough power behind his shot to trouble the keeper, then Wilson whipped in a dangerous cross from the left that Sileby couldn’t clear and as the ball dropped, Jamie Mastropierro hooked goalwards with a superb overhead kick that gave the keeper no chance at all as it dropped just inside the far post. Cooks were back on top now with Rahman putting his 30-yard free-kick just over the top and Wilson made a great run into the box on the right, but shot from a very tight angle and his effort was well over the bar.
Orosz was brought down a few yards outside the box and this time Rahman forced the keeper to make a save low at his left hand post. Rahman had the last effort of the first half with a curling effort that went the wrong side of the far post and the Cooks led into the break by that rather pleasing Mastropierro goal, whilst a solid display at the back from Lloyd Groves, Rico Alexander and Paddy Cichosz had largely kept Mann and Alfie Taylor quiet, although Foxall did have to make one good save in the half.
A couple of changes at the break with a bit of a re-shuffle as Harry Darnell, Harry Josh Adams and Jack Riley entered the fray. An early free-kick just outside the box on the left saw Bates go for goal and he wasn’t far off the mark, then an Adams cross was met by the head of a defender, Archie Elmore got to the ball first but couldn’t get a hold of his shot from the centre of the box. Wilson worked well to get to the edge of the area but couldn’t keep his shot under bar height, then down the other end a good break ended when Riley did just enough to stop Taylor as he broke into the box.
On 67 minutes we were caught out by a quickly taken free-kick for the second time this pre-season. Good vision from Mann saw him pick out no.14s run and he cut inside Riley before placing his shot wide of the wrong-footed keeper and Sileby were level. (My apologies to the scorer, I’m sure I recognised him but couldn’t put a name to the face).
Recently brought on sub Tom Wakley forced a save out of the keeper from inside the box but on 76 minutes we re-took the lead. Darnell tried to break through the middle but was forced wide so he beat his man and sent a great low ball across the box that Wakley flicked past the keeper with pure class for another well-taken goal from the Cooks. Mann went straight for goal from the kick-off but it went just over with Foxall covering it, but the Cooks keeper had to come to the edge of his area quickly to save as Sileby broke through the centre.
We made the game safe on 85 minutes when Bates got away from his man to rise and head powerfully past the keeper from great Adams corner. Sileby were still trying to get back into the game and Foxall was forced to get down low to save a Dan Lyons free-kick whilst Elmore had the games last effort of the game, but his shot from outside the box was the wrong side of the post.
Great effort all-round from both teams on a swelteringly hot afternoon and special thanks to Debbie for retrieving my drink for me after I had accidentally abandoned it. Craig Adams has built a great team spirit already since his arrival and with a number of players able to perform in more than one position it does look bright for this young squad as we head into our final two friendlies before the real stuff starts in just over two weeks-time.
Thanks to Sileby Rangers for hosting us today and giving us a very good game. All the best for the up-and-coming season in their new surroundings and I’m sure I’ll pop across to watch one of your midweek games again.

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
COGENHOE UNITED Reserves (2) 5 v WOOTTON ST GEORGE (1) 1
A great performance from the youngsters against a far more experienced Wootton side.
Alex Nwafor, Matt Fletcher (2), JJ McCarthy and Shad were on target for the Cooks.

Cogenhoe United Football Club

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