Greens Record Statement Loughborough Victory

It was in many ways, the perfect response to the Greens disappointing midweek FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round exit at the hands of Shepshed Dynamo – with victory maintaining the Greens 100% early season record in the United Counties League Premier Division North. The Greens made the dream start at a windy Longwater Stadium when Jacob Fenton’s cross was powered home by Joe Braithwaite (on his 200th Greens appearance) after just two minutes of action. The Greens continued to push at pace and doubled their advantage in the 19th minute when Jacob Fenton was expertly found by Finlay Armond and he cut inside his man before advancing and ultimately driving beyond Jake Alley in the Scholars goal. The game was all but sown up just two minutes later when Jacob Fenton was set free by Liam Flitton’s long ball forward and coolly finished beyond Alley to put the Greens in total control, and despite the visitors grabbing a goal of their own before the break through Halim Bangura – the Greens produced a professional second half display to keep the Leicestershire side firmly at bay.

Player/Manager Tom Ward made two changes from the side that crashed out of the FA Cup on Tuesday evening as recalls were handed to Joe Braithwaite and Marcus Pancho with Ryan Lennon and Kyle Watkins the pairing to drop to the bench. There was also a return to the bench for Shaun Harrad who missed the FA Cup tie with Shepshed, he replaced Sam Wright who joined Newark Town on an initial months loan deal on Friday. Opponents Loughborough Students meanwhile made three changes from the side that suffered an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round exit to Grantham Town in midweek, with Theophilus Sackey-Mensah, Ethan O’Toole and Connor Keene dropping out of the starting eleven - Joshua Strouts, Thomas Butler and Jordan Addo-Antoine coming in.

The Greens produced a dream start at the Longwater Stadium and took the lead inside two minutes when Jacob Fenton’s delivered a sweet cross for Joe Braithwaite to volley home – a perfect present on his 200th Greens appearance. The Greens continued their fast start at a windy Longwater Stadium, constantly hassling their opponents and showing real moments of quality going forward – the most notable of which when Ryan Rushen nipped in to dispossess Jonty Bouch and fire from distance – Jake Alley comfortably behind the effort in the end.

The Greens soon had their reward for their impressive start though and doubled their advantage just short of the 20th minute when Jacob Fenton was expertly found by Finlay Armond before advancing into the box and ultimately firing well beyond Alley to put the Greens in control. That start became even better just two minutes later when Fenton again was the beneficiary of a fine long-ball forward from Liam Flitton, and he pounced to put the Greens 3-0 up - bagging himself a brace of his own in the process.

The game settled down somewhat after that as Loughborough tried to shut up shop but that didn’t prevent another fine Jacob Fenton cross being headed over by captain Charlie Ward. At the other end though a momentary lapse of concentration allowed the visitors to grant themselves a lifeline when a scramble in the box was eventually smashed home at close range by Halim Bangura to make it 3-1 just short of the half-time whistle.

That goal gave the Students hope and they went about trying to reduce the arrears further in the early minutes of the second half. First fine inter-play saw Dylan Edwards set free - whose eventual effort was deflected into the side netting - before the ball fell to Drew Lowe on the edge of the box a few minutes later, but he could only skew well wide of the mark.

Joshua Strouts was lively to beat and skip the challenge of Ryan Flitton to break free, but could only blast well over the crossbar, while at the other end, the ball found itself high over the crossbar again, this time from Marcus Pancho’s header after he’d been set up by Jacob Fenton’s long throw. The chances kept coming for the Scholars and Jordan Antoine fed Lowe excellently but the latter could only shoot straight into Flitton’s hands.

The away sides best chance of the half came with just eight minutes remaining when a marauding Dylan Edwards smashed over the bar when in a favourable position about eight yards out. Piers Fautley was the next to try his luck, finding the side-netting from Josh Strouts cross. Then Liam Flitton was required to beat away a swirling cross - before Tom Ward was on hand to clear over the crossbar. Despite a late flurry of corners from the visitors – the Greens held firm to become one of just three Premier Division North sides to have recorded nine points from nine.

Assistant Manager Louis Bland was naturally delighted that the Greens came away with the points but felt his side have yet more to offer;

“It’s not a bad statement at all; in terms of the performance it wasn’t where we want to be but for the first 20 minutes. I think we took our foot off the gas a little bit but we dealt with their rotations really well – we’ve done alright today.”

Despite frustrations at the Greens second half performance, Bland was still satisfied that victory saw the Greens make it three wins from three in league action this campaign;

“Thrilled with the results, definitely. In terms of performances, we’ve got to get there, we’ve got to get better. We’ve got a fantastic squad in there and we need to start producing a little bit better. But if we aren’t playing the best and still winning it’s a really good habit.”

Bland made sure to note the 200th appearance of Joe Braithwaite and the 50th appearance of Liam Flitton in Green as well;

“They are massive parts of this squad. Braith has been at this level for years and you know what you are going to get. Flitts, whatever he wants to do in football he can do as long as he keeps his feet grounded and he keeps working hard.”

The Greens will now put their 100% league record on the line again next weekend against one of the other two teams sat on nine points from nine, Belper United. Kick-off at Eastwood Community’s Coronation Park next Saturday afternoon is at 3PM.

Words: Oliver Atkin
Image: Steve W Davies Photography