Boldmere St. Michaels 2-0 Loughborough Univesity
The Mikes were looking to bounce back from their FA Cup exit last week at the hands of AFC Wilfrunians. Boldmere were boosted by welcoming back Neil Watkins after a spell at Sutton Coldfield Town and Lee Osborne after injury.
On a hot afternoon it was Boldmere who started stronger in the first ever game between the two sides. On 5 minutes Lee Osborne had a shot which was saved by Steve Norris and on 13 Minutes Boldmere had a cross which was deflected for a corner which resulted in a Stuart McNaught shot which went inches past the Loughborough post.
Loughborough, last season’s Midland Combination Champions recorded their first opportunity on 17 minutes when Steve Blenkinsopp fired a shot that was palmed away by Adam Jenkins, it rebounded it’s way back to Blenkinsopp who fired towards the top corner, Adam Jenkins was again at hand to palm the ball away from goal again. A minute later a Boldmere free kick from Neil Watkins just went past the Loughborough post.
On 24 minutes Loughborough’s Sam Shorrocks had a dipped header which just went wide of the Boldmere post. Three minutes later Boldmere’s Ricky Baker had a diving header that was tipped away by visitor’s keeper Steve Norris.
Four minutes later Boldmere finally broke the deadlock when a ‘Mikes’ free kick found Stuart McNaught at the back post who shot through a crowd and into the bottom corner of the Loughborough net.
With half time approaching Boldmere were looking for the second goal and on 42 minutes got just that. After a Simeon Tulloch’s wide ball was put out for a corner by the keeper another corner came across the goal and Stuart McNaught fired another shot into the crowded area. It had looked to have crossed the goal-line and although the visitors cleared the ball away, the referee after looking at his assistants pointed towards the centre circle to confirm that the ‘Mikes’ lead had indeed doubled.
Boldmere started the 2nd half brightly and on 46 minutes Simeon Tulloch saw his effort saved by Steve Norris. Two minutes later Norris was in action again when Lee Osborne’s close range effort was saved.
Loughborough’s best chance came on 55 minutes when a player raced clear but his shot was blocked by ‘Mikes’ captain Tom Stevenson. Two minutes later Boldmere’s Stuart McNaught had a ‘hat-trick’ effort was well saved by the Norris. Loughborough had another opportunity on 67 minutes when Matthew Alldred’s effort was only denied by the legs of Boldmere keeper Adam Jenkins.
On 71 minutes Boldmere’s Lee Osborne had an effort which was saved by the keeper and then the follow up shot from Stuart McNaught was cleared off the Loughborough line by a defender.
The ‘Mikes’ bought on Jamel Fuller and coach Stuart Grosvenor in the last 12 minutes and indeed Grosvenor nearly had the final say in the game in stoppage time when his flick on found Simeon Tulloch whose shot was deflected past the post but it was Boldmere who took all three points and kept their 100% league record in the process.
BOLDMERE ST. MICHAELS |
SCORER (TIME) |
SUB (TIME) |
CAUTION (TIME) |
1 ADAM JENKINS |
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2 ADAM SWAIN |
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3 JACK BROWN |
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4 TOM STEVENSON |
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5 ADAM WOOD |
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6 ANTHONY JUXON |
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7 SIMEON TULLOCH |
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8 STUART MCNAUGHT |
28,42 |
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9 NEIL WATKINS |
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10 LEE OSBOURNE |
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78 |
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11 RICKY BAKER |
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90 |
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12 STUART GROSVENOR |
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90 |
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13 SEAN BUTLER (GK) |
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14 JAMEL FULLER |
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78 |
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15 ANDREW LEWIS |
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16 |
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17 |
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