SMALL MARGINS
“The only side that have tried to come and play against us here….overall we had to dig in deep and just, just, about deserved the winâ€
Those are the words of Bromsgrove Sporting FC’s Manager, Brendan Kelly, after Sporting’s narrow one goal win over The Blues at the Victoria Ground yesterday.
The three points won in the 60th minute of a hard fought battle between two evenly matched sides came courtesy of a well taken goal from Charlie Dowd, who had come off the substitute’s bench moments earlier.
Despite the setback, there were many positives that Tony & Gareth can take from the game. In a second consecutive match against higher placed opposition, Dunstable have demonstrated their ability to compete and match their opponents for long periods of the game.
The introduction of Kyle Lincoln, whose positional awareness and reading of the game were again superb, looks to have been as shrewd a signing as those of Alex Taylor and Joe Mead, who were all in the heart of the battle yesterday for the full 90 minutes.
For the third consecutive game the defence played like Trojans and restricted their opponents to just one goal, compared to the eighteen that were conceded in the first five league games of the season.
There is a more compact and organised look and feel to the Team which is a testimony to the hard work that goes on behind the scenes twice a week in training sessions, and to all 11 players who go out and play for the Club week in, week out.
Dunstable supporters yesterday in a crowd of 721 were uniformly proud of their Team’s performance and warmly applauded the players off the park at the end of the game.
Kieran Ogden, Hassan Sheikh, Ben Collins, Charlie Black, Nathan Harness and Will Hunt, were all unavailable due to injury or other commitments, hence Borehamwood loanee, Fred Burbidge retained his place in between the sticks, John Sonuga partnered Kyle Lincoln at the centre of defence, and up front, Daniel Trif retained his spot, with Chris Wreh was named among the four substitutes.
The first 45 minutes were an evenly contested affair with plenty of clever play on display from both sides. Dunstable looked firm and solid at the back and dangerous on the break. Midfielder Alex Taylor was everywhere. For those of a certain era I’m going to stick my neck above the parapets and say I can see many similarities between Alex and a Baseball Ground hero of mine from the 70’s, Archie Gemmill. Industrious, fearless, committed, skilful and passionate. Alex has all those attribute in his locker.
Dunstable were indebted to Fred Burbidge in the 28th minute as he produced a great save to keep the scores even. But this was certainly not completely one way traffic, Dunstable came close themselves on a couple of occasions, with Arel Amu, again showing good link up play with Saul Williams and Daniel Trif.
Before yesterday’s match, Bromsgrove had been scoring an average of four goals a game, and boasted the second meanest defence in the League, having conceded only three goals in six matches.
That figure so nearly rose to four, when in the opening minutes of the second half, a Dunstable corner from the right was met firmly by Kyle Lincoln, but his goal directed header was somehow scrambled off the line and Bromsgrove escaped with their goal intact and for the next few minutes fought from the ropes as Dunstable launched a series of probing attacks.
Rio Dasilva had replaced Ethan Lamptey at half time and proved to be a thorough nuisance to the Bromsgrove back line, as he danced his way past defenders as if the ball was attached to his feet with a piece of string.
Supporters who follow the fortunes of the Club’s Development Team will be aware that Rio has been putting in some excellent performances for Simon & Colin’s table topping team and knocking on the door of the First team for a little while now. And he’s not the only one by any stretch, as the Club’s policy of establishing a clear pathway for the committed and the talented demonstrates,
Rio had made his First team debut in the Southern League Cup exit at Chesham last month, but yesterday we got to see more of his silky skills which may prove one or two selection headaches for Tony & Gareth in the weeks to come.
The first 10 – 15 minutes of the second half produced some lovely football from Dunstable and had they gone ahead in that time, they would have been good value for their lead. However they could not find their way through a resolute Bromsgrove defence, who looked well organised and marshalled by skipper, Craig Jones.
Bromsgrove’s goal was well worked and well taken, but Bromsgrove fans around me let out a few sighs of relief that a throw-in, in the lead up to the goal had been taken several yards further up the pitch than where the ball had originally gone out. Small margins again.
Tony & Gareth urged the lads on from the touchlines, and you just know those lads out there would walk through walls for Tony & Gareth if asked to do so, such is their desire to succeed.
Back came Dunstable straight at Bromsgrove, determined to seek parity and claim a justified and deserved point. Arel Amu got a shot away which drew a decent save from Reece Francis in the Bromsgrove goal. This followed some outstanding work by Joe Mead who plays with such calm and measured maturity for a young man still only 18 years old.
Chris Wreh came on shortly after the Bromsgrove goal to replace Daniel Trif, who worked tirelessly all game, but got little reward or change from his defender.
Still Dunstable plugged away, right to the final whistle, but the tight Bromsgrove defence held firm, and credit is due to the well disciplined and well organised style of football they play, which you have to feel will see them come, season end, in the top few places of the League. They have a professional set-up which deserves to be hosting football at a higher level than the one they currently play in.
Bromsgrove has a large & passionate supporter base and a proper non-league stadium to play good football in. They also have one of the friendliest and most accommodating Committee’s that we have had the pleasure of meeting, and their hospitality towards everyone associated with Dunstable Town yesterday was exemplary.
Match report courtesy of Andrew Madaras - Dunstable Town.
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