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| This was taken in case there was a "not much on the bench" joke later. |
Hopperational details
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Date &
Venue
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Tuesday 27
December 2011 at Compton Park, Cogenhoe
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Result
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Cogenhoe United 1 Northampton
Spencer 0
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Competition
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United
Counties Premier League (Step 5)
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Hopping
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#442 on the
lifetime list, geographically convenient to visit on my way back to Hertfordshire
from the West Midlands.
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This match in one sentence
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Cogenhoe (aka The Cooks, and sorry about the post title) managed to score from just one of their many chances.
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So what?
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Both teams
sit just below the midpoint of the table, though Spencer have played six
games more. Unless something dramatic
happens in the second part of this season, both teams should be secure enough
at step 5.
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Something
random
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Another
Scooby-Doo tree for the catalogue…
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The drama unfolds
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Cogenhoe,
with a stiff breeze behind them, took control from the start and pinged the
crossbar loudly within the first fifteen minutes. They used the wind to create defensive
havoc from corners and set pieces, as shown in the first clip. Credit to the Spencer defence for holding
firm – tonight’s clips will show that their keeper Quincy Shorunmu was a busy
man. Cogenhoe are in the blue kit.
Cogenhoe
hit the post again … Shorunmu made (or may not have made, as a goal kick was
given) a great save … Matt Gearing reached the byline and put a goal on a
plate for Perry Wells, who missed it … and impressive left midfielder
Courtney Herbert shot over. A goal was
overdue. It eventually arrived just
after the half-hour. A beautiful
curling pass from the left fell perfectly into no-man’s land between defence
and keeper and Karl Bates sneaked in and did enough to finish despite
Shorunmu’s partial block. 1-0
Bates had
another half-chance, making a nuisance of himself through the centre and
finding a one-on-one position, but Shorunmu again did enough. With my freezing fingers, I noted, “Will
one goal be enough?” as the first half ended.
Spencer had made no real impact as an attacking force but now they
would have the easier of the conditions.
1-0 at half-time
I sought
shelter for the second half, as the clips will show. Spencer captain James Allcock got an early
yellow for a mistimed challenge, and Bates almost touched in the hard
low-driven free kick at the near post.
My second-half clips all follow the pattern of the half. Spencer gained more territory, and had a
few “ooh!” moments, especially from corners and set pieces, but Cogenhoe
always looked dangerous themselves.
Bates and Wells were both comfortable as target men with backs to
goal, and they were both adept at first-time flicks. Attacking movement was good and they showed some variation at set plays. Herbert always looked a threat, but somehow
Spencer held on and kept the margin to one goal, helped, it has to be said,
by Cogenhoe finishing that did not match up to the approach play.
In the
closing minutes, some Spencer players realised they might nick a point and
could be heard urging Shorunmu to hurry up with goalkicks and
clearances. They were never out of the
game at 1-0, but it is hard to recall a really clear chance. Dean Love, in the Cogenhoe goal, had to work
harder in the second 45, and be alert as to when to come out to clear, but
from where I was standing at the other end, they looked comfortable enough in
defence for most of the time. The last
clips are from the closing minutes. Final score 1-0
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Man-of-the-Match
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Tricky
choice … Karl Bates decided the destination of the points and was always
involved, but he missed a few chances too.
Quincy Shorunmu was a busy man. The Spencer centre-backs deserve some
credit too. However, I’ll nominate Courtney
Herbert just because of the ripples of anticipation he caused whenever he got
the ball.
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A snippet from the programme
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No
programme today so here is a photograph of a teamsheet.
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What Next?
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Hmmm … I
see there are four fixtures this evening, three of which I could get to. I’m tempted.
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