Page 3 - Cribbs FC v Malvern Town 021021

Today’s Game

Firstly, Cribbs FC would like to extend a very warm welcome to the visiting players,
team management, supporters and officials of Malvern Town, together with the
match officials for today’s Hellenic League Premier Division match. We hope that
you enjoy your first visit to the Lawns.

Match Reports
September continues to be a sparse month in terms of Hellenic League matches.
Torrential rain saw the postponement of our Tuesday trip to Hereford for a match
against talented Westfields and leaves us only last Saturday’s FA Vase match
against Shortwood United to report on.
Rich Luffman saw the match as opportunity to experiment giving youngsters James
Crossley-John, Harris Feltham and David Duru their first senior competitive starts.
Shortwood were keen to zip the ball around on the excellent playing surface and
enjoyed a lot of possession. However, despite all the changes to the starting line-
up, Cribbs remained extremely well organised and hard to break down.
If it was not for the Shortwood keeper’s excellent performance, Cribbs would have
been a couple of goals to the good before the break as Dan Webb and Ryan Crouch
were both thwarted by close range stops.
Cribbs made things difficult for themselves at the start of the second half by
conceding a poor goal. Shortwood knocked a ball forward and Ross McErlain’s poor
clearance was quickly switched to Shortwood’s playmaker Josh Beadle who
exchanged passes around our static midfielders and slotted home.
Luffman instantly responded with a triple substitution bringing on the regular
starters Hodgson, Murray and Cainey. Cribbs began to dominate the ball more and
to create chances, though it took a moment of Murray magic to conjure the
equaliser. He picked up the ball outside the box, danced around the defence and
clipped it beyond the despairing keeper.
There were chances for both sides in the final minutes, but we went to penalties.
Liam Kingston stopped Beadle’s effort and our own Harris Feltham saw his penalty
saved by the inspired Shortwood keeper. Shortwood missed the first of the sudden
death penalties and Ali Boyer confidently converted ours.

This Afternoon’s Opponents
This is unsurprisingly our first encounter with high flying Malvern Town as we have
spent our lifetime in the Bristol, Gloucestershire and Western Leagues, whilst they
have predominantly plied their trade in the leagues around the West Midlands.
Last season, Malvern were clear leaders of the Hellenic Division One West and
following the curtailment were deservedly promoted to the Premier Division where
they meet us today.
As I write this, they currently sit top, one place and one point above Cribbs having
played one game more. Tight at the top!!!!
As always, get behind the boys!!!
UTC

Dates for the diary: -
• Tuesday, 5th October – Home – Fairford Town – League – 7.45pm KO;
• Friday, 8th October – Home – Hallen – League – 7.45pm KO.