Saturday 15th March
Capelli Sport MFL Premier Division
Whitchurch Alport 2 Brocton 1
Brocton were forced into changes with skipper Connor Haddaway only fit enough for the bench. Cam Osborne started out wide with Christian Blanchette filling in the number 10 role. Whitchurch Alport sat just outside the play offs and were playing catch up after their FA Vase heroics.
It was the home side that took the lead inside 5 minutes. An excellent through ball was played into the path of Callum Parker. He picked his spot and slotted the ball past Tony Allsopp. Whitchurch went close again in the 10th minute. A shot from Harry Bower was parried by Allsopp and Ollie Holden’s follow up was well saved. In the 14th minute, Jake Danan’s lob was caught underneath the cross bar by Jack Sheward. Whitchurch continued to dominate with Brocton struggling to gain any sort of foothold in the game. In the 28th minute, Bower hit a fierce shot which knocked Josh Simcox off his feet. There were appeals for a Whitchurch penalty in the 37th minute. Tom Vaughan was caught in possession by Jack Loughran. As Loughran ran into the penalty area, he went down under a challenge from Vaughan, the referee waving away the appeals. Whitchurch created another chance, this time for Lewis Bloor, but his shot was blocked. Brocton’s first chance of the game came in the 42nd minute. Charlie King picked out Will Whieldon, but his shot was into the side netting.
Half-time: Whitchurch Alport 1 Brocton 0
Brocton’s injury woes continued in the 48th minute when Blanchette limped off with a hamstring injury. Brocton were more energetic after the break and started to create openings. In the 52nd minute, Jake Thomas beat his defender and hit a shot which took a deflection forcing Sheward into an excellent save. Whitchurch responded with a fast break. Bower cut inside from the right and forced Allsopp to palm his shot over the bar. A minute later, a sickening clash of heads between Adam Hailes and Thomas led to a long delay while both players were treated. Hailes had to be replaced whilst Thomas continued before being replaced himself 10 minutes later. Brocton were inches away from an equaliser upon resumption. Excellent control by Smith as he created an opening, and his goal bound effort was tipped onto the post by Sheward. Smith then stung Sheward’s hands from out wide as Brocton pushed for an equaliser. Whitchurch should have doubled their lead in the 64th minute. Parker was free in the area again, but his shot was well saved by Allsopp. Smith created a chance for Jude King whose flick goalwards was well saved by Sheward. Whitchurch wasted another glorious chance in the 71st minute. Parker was sent clear on the right. Holden was in acres of space and unmarked in front of goal but Parker’s ball across was overhit. In the 75th minute a volley from Whieldon was well over the bar. The end to end nature of the game continued with a shot from Parker taking a big deflection wide of Allsopp’s far post. Loughran then forced another save from Allsopp at the near post. In the 81st minute, Lucas Green-Birch was tripped on the edge of the area, Brocton appealing for a penalty. Smith took the free-kick, and the wall did its job blocking the shot. Two minutes later, a shot on the turn from Morgan Payne rattled the post. The ball was played back into the area and Green-Birch went down under a challenge. This time the referee pointed to the spot and Whieldon hammered the spot kick into the top corner to bring Brocton level. As the game entered stoppage time, Parker was off target with a shot. In the eighth minute of added time, Payne failed to clear his lines. The ball fell to Holden, and he shot on the turn into the far corner to keep the Whitchurch play off push well and truly alive.
Full-time: Whitchurch Alport 2 Brocton 1 Attendance:185
Whitchurch Alport: Jack Sheward, George Carpenter (Freddie Bishton 73), Lewis Bloor, Harry Farnsworth, Roman Allen, William West, Harry Bower, Adam Hailes (Ellis Turner 57), Jack Loughran, Ollie Holden, Callum Parker. Subs (Not Used): Charlie Warrilow, Matthew Downward, Sam Tomlinson
Brocton: Tony Allsopp, Cooper Marsh (Kenny Devoir 62), Josh Simcox, Jake Danan, Tom Vaughan, Charlie King, Will Whieldon, Jake Thomas (Jude King 67), Reg Smith, Cam Osborne (Morgan Payne 62), Christian Blanchette (Lucas Green-Birch 48). Sub (Not Used): Connor Haddaway
Yellow Cards: Loughran, Parker, Bishton (Whitchurch); Simcox (Brocton)
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