Morecambe Pounded at Poundland…
Morecambe set off today for what Manager Ged Brannan described as `The Land of the Giants’ after his team’s win against Sutton United a couple of weeks ago. This mythical place is otherwise known as Walsall FC’s Bescot Stadium, which the Shrimps visited this evening to see if they could continue their excellent form on the road away from north Lancashire.
(Given the name of the ground’s sponsors, it belatedly occurs to me that Our Ged should really have talked about the “Poundland of the Giants”…)
Be that as it may, on the journey to the Midlands, the team would just be hoping that the game wouldn’t be postponed tonight at the last minute. They and the three hundred or so stalwarts who made the long trip southwards exactly two weeks ago would all hope that the time and money they wasted travelling to a fixture which was called-off shortly before kick-off wouldn’t be repeated this evening. On the back of their excellent 1-1 draw at Wimbledon last Saturday. Morecambe had also won their previous three League Two matches. Could they make it five games in a row without defeat in the West Midlands tonight?
The Bescot Stadium has been a Happy Hunting Ground for the Shrimps in the past: they have won on both of their previous couple of visits to this venue. The two clubs have met before six times altogether, with the Saddlers winning only once and losing on four occasions. Their most recent meeting – the first game of the current campaign – was a pretty dour affair in the wind and rain in August. Derek Adams’ side won again; two-one on this occasion against a physically large team who were actually unlucky to lose on the day. But Our Ged told Morecambe Media Maestro Matt Smith just before the match was postponed a couple of weeks ago that one four-letter word (most of us would use a different one after seeing some of the Shrimps’ most feeble displays this season) is the key to all games of football. And the four-letter word he used is `luck’. The August victory was also memorable for over-zealous Referee Martin Foy booking no less than ten players in a game which was always played in a good spirit. But this was the first match of the campaign and the latest strictures by the EFL and FA about refereeing – always quickly forgotten – were being very strictly interpreted by Mr Foy at the time. Fortunately, he wasn’t in charge again tonight.
But it could have been worse as far as men in uniforms are concerned. Imagine that you have driven to Walsall from Manchester in order to watch your favourite team play at the Bescot Stadium. Imagine then than that an over-zealous Walsall FC Steward unilaterally decides after the game that you need to get on an away supporters’ coach instead of returning to your car. You obviously object. This is what happens next:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-67949379
The Police Constable with the active truncheon pictured here – one Richard Mannox – was criticised by the judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court last month for what you can see him doing to Barrow fan Edward Papas in this video after their game with the Saddlers last March. This video evidence of what actually happened has been viewed over two million times online. Having seen it, the jury at Wolverhampton took just half an hour to throw the police charge that Mr Papas had actually assaulted one of their officers – Mannox – out of Court. Barrow’s The Mail tells us:
“Following the verdict Judge Jonathan Gosling said the jury’s prompt verdict was ‘quite telling’ and ‘the officer’s behaviour was disgraceful’. The law firm Mary Monson defended Mr Papas. A spokesman said on X, formerly Twitter: “It was a pleasure to successfully defend our client who was wrongfully charged with assaulting a police officer. Police and the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) scandalously continued with the prosecution despite video evidence.””
Is this an example of how scrupulously fair our judicial system is here in good old Blighty? Proof that even the police aren’t a law unto themselves in our wonderful land of hope and glory?
Has Mannox been sacked or even disciplined by the West Midlands force? What do you think?
And Edward Papas now faces a legal bill of £50,000 plus all the costs associated with travelling to Wolverhampton to contest the charges and the time this takes, despite having had no case to answer. Knowing this would happen, we can see why the police and the CPS pressed on with what was literally a malicious prosecution against him. This outrage could have happened to you or me. So Shrimps fans: mind how you go this evening: not all of the West Midlands’ thugs wear football gear…
But back to tonight’s match now. The Saddlers started it on the back of a mixed bag of form. They won no less than six-one against Dave Artell’s Grimsby Town in Lincolnshire last month but were then thrashed 4-0 by Southampton in the FA Cup immediately afterwards. Since then, it has been a 3-1 loss at Stockport County followed by two 1-1 draws; one against lowly Sutton at home and then at Gillingham. They then contrived to lose 0-3 at home to Newport but surprised everyone with a tremendous a 2-1 victory over high-flying Mansfield at this venue last Saturday. These results have put Walsall into sixteenth position in League Two.
Their Manager – Mat Sadler – said before the game scheduled for two weeks ago:
“We have to keep believing what a fantastic team we are and take that into Tuesday: that’s the next task, so we have to recover. Morecambe had a fantastic result on Saturday, they won 2-1 at Crawley and they’re a team with a good manager, a way of playing and some good players.”
He added subsequently, following his side’s win against Mansfield:
“We want that momentum and we want to take it into the next game. We know that they’re a really well organised team and they’re a group of players that are in a good moment so we have to be right on top of it. We’ve had some great occasions here but for us it’s about recovery and to get back on it.”
Morecambe arrived in the West Midlands on the back of four games won and just one lost out of their last six league matches. They were tenth in the table, five points ahead of tonight’s rivals prior to the match. Our Ged spoke about kicking-on for a Play-Off push after last Saturday’s draw in south-west London. As far as tonight’s opponents are concerned, he said two weeks ago:
“We’re going there to win the game and to take the three points. Obviously, it’s a different game against these: these are very physical – they play it back to front really quickly. Crawley, Saturday, (they) tried to play football; to play round you. So it’s a different game for us; we’ll have a different mindset; win the second balls a lot on Tuesday against them and break on them. We will get chances against them. I’m definitely going there for the three points.”
He added the following to these remarks yesterday:
“Another tough one tomorrow. They’re a really good team; got a great win on Saturday against Mansfield. But we’re on a really good run as well. So it should be a really good game.”
Ged Garner was missing for the Shrimps after pulling-up with some sort of hip injury last Saturday at Wimbledon. But Joe Adams was sufficiently recovered from a bug he was suffering from at the same time to be named in the starting line-up this evening.
The match started under dry skies after there had been a minute’s applause for Jan Sørensen, former Manager of the Saddlers, who died this week aged 68. Walsall also wore black armbands on their all-red strip this evening as a tribute to the deceased Dane.
Right from the start, the men in the white shirts and socks played all the football. They pinged the ball between them quickly and accurately as Walsall basically retreated into their own half of the field and offered nothing going forward. With two corners already won, the Shrimps looked well in control of the game until the twelfth minute. Then the hosts won their first corner of the game after Archie Mair had made a fantastic save from Isaac Hutchinson by pushing his tremendous volley from about twenty-five yards out on the Saddlers’ left over the bar. Morecambe failed to clear their lines as the corner came in and the ball was finally worked back to the Saddlers’ left flank by Liam Gordon to Hutchinson again. He tried to fashion a position for a shot as he moved further and further infield from the Morecambe goal-line within their penalty area. When he finally let fly, his shot hit Jacob Bedeau and fell into the path of Ross Tierney – and he buried the ball to the right of a possibly unsighted Mair to put the home side one-nil up. Morecambe kicked-off and the same pattern repeated itself anew: Morecambe played dominant football but when their next very simple chance arrived after 25 minutes, Wallsall again took it. This time, impressive goalkeeper Jackson Smith had just fielded Joel Senior’s shot from the Morecambe right without any fuss. He waved his players forward and then booted the ball upfield to veteran striker and Walsall Skipper Jamille Matt. He flicked it on with his head to Josh Gordon on the right wing and he, in turn, carried to ball towards the dead-ball line before beating Bedeau in the away penalty area and sending over a perfect cross for an unmarked Matte – who had raced forward to cover the move – to bundle it home for an all-too-simple second goal. Route One but very effective nevertheless. So that was basically that for the first half – and the match as things turned-out. Morecambe played some nice tippy-tappy football whereas Walsall were far more direct – and a lot more effective.
Morecambe tried to chase the game in the second half. But they were undone yet again by another move by the hosts which was almost a carbon copy of their second goal. David Tutonda had blasted a wild shot high and wide of the home goal: keeper Smith again found Matte with a long goal-kick, Matte flicked it on but this time was adjudged by Referee Craig Hicks to have been fouled by Morecambe Captain Bedeau. Hutchinson played the resulting free-kick into the mix from the Saddlers’ right; the ball was half-cleared and finally reached substitute Jack Earing on the Walsall left. He looked up, saw Matte in acres of space ahead of him in the Shrimps’ penalty area and played a low ball directly to him. Matte had time and space to turn on the ball and toe-poke a shot which beat Archie at his near post all ends up but bounced out to debutant Emmanuel Adegboyega, who gleefully walloped the ball home. Once again, it was appalling defending coupled with simple but effective approach play by the hosts.
And that really was that. Morecambe didn’t force a difficult save from Jackson Smith all night and the shots they did take were well blocked by a disciplined home defence with an average age of about 22. It was a Master Class in taking your chances and defending by Mat Sadler’s team and a very disappointing way for Morecambe to lose their perfect record at the Bescot Stadium and their chance of narrowing the gap to the chasing pack looking for a Play-Off place into the bargain. Morecambe didn’t play badly tonight but they were guilty of far too many defensive lapses which were far too easily punished by the home team.
The loss – first one of the month – saw the Shrimps fall one place to eleventh in the League Two table. The three points made no difference to Walsall’s standing in the Division: they remain sixteenth.
What did Our Ged think about it at the end of the game?:
“We played some good football to be honest with you – but we can’t concede two goals like that in the first half. We were dominating play without really hurting them. It’s hard to swallow. We were a better team than Walsall tonight: we were the best team. Their third goal – I got to say – I got booked for it. When you see it, the lad’s pulled Stokesey down and then the ball’s gone through and he’s scored. It’s an absolute joke by the way. But it is what it is and you’ve just got to get on with it. He was 100% wrong, the Referee; it’s a really, really bad decision. The last two games, we’ve concede goals off crosses – it’s not good enough and we’ll work on it on Thursday. You know what – there actually was a lot of positives tonight. We actually moved the ball well; our pattern play was very good: a lot of good movement off the ball and we defended well outside our box. There’s a lot of positives; yeah – definitely.”
Walsall: 22 Jackson Smith; 2 David Okagbue; 3 Liam Gordon; 8 Isaac Hutchinson; 9 Jamille Matt (C); 10 Tom Knowles (Y) (12 Joe Foulkes 86’); 14 Brandon Comley (Y) (17 Jack Earing (Y) 61’); 18 Josh Gordon (Y) (11 Douglas James-Taylor 77’); 21 Taylor Allen; 26 Ross Tierney (25 Ryan Stirk 61’); 36 Emmanuel Adegboyega.
Substitutes not used: 1 Owen Evans; 7 Joe Riley; 23 Mo Faal.
Morecambe: 30 Archie Mair; 3 David Tutonda (Y); 4 Jacob Bedeau (C); 8 Joe Adams; 11 Julian Larsson (17 Cammy Smith 68’); 12 Joel Senior; 14 Jordan Slew (23 Max Melbourne 82’); 15 Chris Stokes (Y) (5 Farrend Rawson 68’); 18 Jake Taylor (19 Gwion Edwards 53’); 20 Charlie Brown; 38 Nelson Khumbeni .
Substitutes not used: 21 Adam Smith; 6 Yann Songo’o; 22 Kayden Harrack.
Ref: Craig Hicks.
Att: 4,543 (About 130 from Morecambe.)
