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| Four goals in four league gmes for Ntumba Massanka |
Tony Aghayere took his place in between the sticks, where he’s likely to get a full season as our only scholar in that department, with backup coming from our U-16 lads. As Zimbabwean Vash Dixon was serving his suspension for the sending off away at Tranmere and Lewis Norvock seemingly not fit to feature a debut was handed to U-16 Alexander Richardson on his birthday. We lined up with a 4-4-2 formation with Ntumba Massanka partnering Josh Dolling up top, and a 2nd year midfield quartet, with the exception of Hamam El-Fitouri in a holding role.
We started like a house on fire. In the first minute Massanka surged up the left wing and to the edge of the box. He switched feet, wrong footing his man and making space, before crossing into the corridor of uncertainty. Brad Jackson was charging in but arrived with a defender who just managed to block the poked effort and the danger was cleared. We continued to press though and a right wing cross found the head of Andreas Bianga who drew a full length diving saves to the keeper's left that saw the ball turned behind. The corner wasn’t drifted over, but was worked around momentarily before falling to Jackson who shot, seeing his effort deflect and bounce past the despairing dive of the keeper to give us the lead.
Shrewsbury were rattled and we looked dangerous. Christian Hill made space in the middle with a clever whole-body dummy, allowing him to break through. He fed Jackson, who continued the run, before hitting a strike on the moved, but it flashed over the bar. However, the visitors settled and drew level around ten minutes in with some simple football. They played a slide rule pass through our high defence and the number nine ran on to it. He tried to slip the ball past Aghayere but the stopper got down well to get his left hand to it. However, he could only parry and the Shrews number eleven nipped in to poke home before our defence could get onto the scene.
It became a more even contest for a period with no real goal mouth action, just some probing and prying. Hill saw his game come to a premature end as he succumbed to a knock picked up in a heavy Salop midfield challenge. He was replaced by Khius Metz due to the lack of width option on the bench, and the young Irish cap was forced to play out of position.
We hit the half hour mark and Shrewsbury hit the front, and again it was frustratingly simple. A straight ball was played through the middle and while the defence and attack turned and chased the pass, the pursuing forward slashed at the ball early in his run, catching out the advancing Aghayere and finding the bottom corner. It was our turn to be on the back foot for a spell and we could have been 3 down and also a man light only minutes later. A lofted ball over the top turned our defence and the Shrews forward seemed to be in. He was hauled back by Richardson on the edge of the box. The ref felt Shaun Hobson was close enough so deemed a yellow worthy punishment, and fortunately the free kick came to nothing.
With half time approaching we regained our composure and drew level. Tenacity from Andy Nugent in the middle of the park saw him emerge with the ball. He played it out to the right with Waqas Azam and Jackson combining well. The cross was floated over and Dolling rose well at the back post to head back across goal. Massanka was poised and leaped well getting his head to the ball before the keeper could connect with a fist and finding the back of the net. The big striker is having a real season so far with goals in the opening 4 league games.
We nearly took the lead on the stroke of half time as Bianga sidefooted a shot agonisingly wide of the post after clever play by Nugent once more.
The 2nd half perhaps had fewer clear cut chances for us but we did go in front around ten minutes in. We had a corner on the right wing from Jackson and it found the completely unmarked head of the birthday boy Richardson. He calmed nodded it goalwards and it found the inside of the far post.
We just tried to keep a grip for the rest of the game, perhaps getting a little too desperate in places as El-Fitouri was booked for a midfield altercation. He was replaced on the half hour mark by Brandon Wilson, and then Dolling was withdrawn to be replaced by U-15 player Mark Howarth, allowing Metz to move more central. We were the architects of our own downfall though in the end as we surrendered possession cheaply on the left wing. Over committing in attack and losing the ball easily left us exposed at the back, and Shrewsbury capitalised. They were in down the left and Hobson couldn’t shepherd the ball safe after being dragged over to cover. The cross came in and we weren’t alert enough, seeing it clipped home at the near post to tie the game up at 3-3.
There was not much time left and both sides were going for a win, making it a little end-to-end in the closing stages, but there was no breakthrough on either side.
Team:- Tony Aghayere, Waqas Azam, Andy Nugent, Alexander Richardson, Shaun Hobson, Andreas Bianga, Hamam El-Fitouri (Branson Wilson), Christian Hill (Khius Metz), Brad Jackson, Josh Dolling (Mark Howarth), Ntumba Massanka.
Sub not used:- Connor King.