Market Drayton Town fell back in love with football at Chasetown on Tuesday night – and that promises heartbreak for opposition as they plan finishing a tempestuous season on a high boosted by two new teenage signings.
Matty Owen, a 19 year-old who can play in defence or midfield, has joined from Wem Town and Matty Cohen, recently released by Stoke City, has included Drayton among several clubs to trial his central rearguard skills.
“Both are good lads and have signed UniBond League forms for us,” said manager Simon Line. “We’ll have to see how they go on, but they will have chances to prove themselves.”
On Tuesday’s showing, the teenagers are joining at an opportune moment.
The hesitancy and awkwardness of a mundane mid term spell in which Town courted disaster, disappeared at Chasetown as the confidence of old returned in a cracking 2-0 UniBond League South victory.
In addition to a superb headed six yard box opener by the excellent Marc Stallard on 70 minutes and Martyn Davies’s slightly fortunate penalty award on 81, Town also had two shots cleared off the line. Apart from an awkward opening 10 minutes, Town’s defence were rarely in trouble and assistant manager Andy Pryce played a mainly spectator’s role in goal for the second half.
In contrast, Town were dangerous all along the front line with Nicky Porter leading the queue making it a bad night for full back Gary Anslow, the former Drayton skipper who had switched clubs to Chasetown a mere five days before.
With tomorrow’s visit by Glapwell heralding an attractive holiday programme against two more of the league’s top teams – Witton Albion away Good Friday and champions elect Mickleover at home on Easter Monday – this return to form could not be more timely.
“The lads are back in love with their football and ready to take on the best,” said a delighted manager Simon Line yesterday. “At Chasetown, you could see them sharing the sheer enjoyment of playing the game – something that’s been missing for some time.
“If you enjoy your work it’s there for all to see. Everyone gives and gets that little bit more and that’s always been our trademark as a club.
“For the first 40 minutes or so on Saturday against Sheffield FC and throughout most of Tuesday I think we got a lot of that back; I think we are turning the corner.”
Town have goalkeeper Steve Taylor and flying winger Stuart Ellis back in the squad for tomorrow’s visit of Glapwell and striker Mark Grice, who should be available for Friday’s game against Witton Albion.
The seeds of Tuesday’s turnaround were sewn in a sparkling first 40 minutes at Greenfields on Saturday against yet another of the competition’s top teams, Sheffield FC.
Drayton took the lead through Tom Rogers on 21 minutes, Davies’s left foot drive hit the post five minutes later and again had two shots cleared off the line before both sides lost the plot in a dramatic 5-1 defeat.
Sheffield scrambled an equaliser through Steve Woolley on 34 minutes but the turning point came when Rogers was sent off for an ugly looking but totally uncharacteristic tackle on Andrew Gascoigne, who had earlier been lucky to escape with just a yellow card for clashing with keeper Taylor.
It triggered a melee of players pushing, shoving and posturing. Pryce was grabbed by the throat as he tried to cool it down and in turn was among those restrained by prime peacekeeper Paul Bowyer while Sheffield’s fitness coach, Jamie Smith actually vaulted the safety fence to get involved.
When the dust settled, Rogers and Smith had departed. But Town paid the higher penalty, losing a player not an official and, in a disastrous final four minutes before the delayed interval, conceded three goals.
Cushworth set up Sheffield sub Joel Perkiss for a fifth in the 81st minute which made the final scoreline a very flattering one for the opposition.
By Terry Morris