Not Knowingly Friendly But Dominant Burbage Manipulate Miserable Montpellier

Montpellier FC 1-3 NKF Burbage

Burbage began this game with spirit, skill and scope, harassing, hindering and haranguing Montpellier throughout a difficult afternoon for The Orange. Certainly Burbage totally deserved the victory, for strikers The Adcocks led Ryan Amoo and Torin Coleing in the home defence into a number of desperate moments, backed by a spiky midfield and a pair of effective supporting full-backs. The margin of victory could well have been more emphatic, for home ‘keeper Craig Johnson was forced into a couple of last-gasp saves from The Adcocks and other shots went awry. The Orange, in contrast, seemed intent on striking long passes towards Stuart Hendrie and colleague Daniel Rodriguez, who only really affected the game in the latter stages when the game was lost. Two goals ahead, NKF conceded a penalty, which Stuart Hendrie squandered but the guests completed a fine containing job on Lee Hendrie, who was cautioned for a sliding challenge after becoming incensed by events going on around him in the first period. He didn’t last long after the interval either, fouling an opponent and receiving a second yellow card. Ten men, 0-2 behind, Montpellier were already beaten when NKF skipper Nathan Astill scored a penalty and despite a fine late consolation strike by lively Orange replacement James Wilcock, Burbage ran out comfortable winners.

As a spectator though, to hear grown men berating Lee Hendrie, as a ‘reject’ and advising the rather poor referee to “Have a word with the has-been…” was embarrassing. The verbals continued after the very incensed, dismissed ex-Villa midfielder left the arena and he was probably sensible to leave the ground to avoid any after-match trouble. Being described as a ‘has-been’ by men who never were, was ironic.

The referee was heard and seen joking with Burbage followers before the interval and home skipper Trevor Edwards suggested that the official should concentrate on refereeing and not on joking with them, to which the referee replied: “Get a sense of humour…” Not wise, not becoming and certainly not in the interests of impartiality.

Anyway, on to the game, which was bossed throughout by the combative and inventive visitors. They had already threatened a couple of times before they took an early lead, when The Adcocks combined and Charlie’s head-on was collected by Jess and he slipped the ball past Johnson from 12 yards, inside-right channel, with Montpellier screaming for offside at a linesman who looked petrified. Charlie Adcock’s ability to beat Amoo in the air was key to Burbage but Jess’s thoughtful running off Charlie led Coleing and both home full-backs astray. A second goal stemmed from a poorly defended corner and The Orange were in disarray. The ball was missed at the near post but struck the leg of Ciaran Hughes a couple of yards out and flew past Johnson into the roof of the net.

Both Charlie and Jess Adcock were denied similarly by the right boot of an exposed Johnson from inside-left, as Montpellier panicked and pithered in defence but Jess Adcock drove a good chance over the crossbar from 15 yards from yet another head-on by Charlie. The strength and liveliness of Charlie was offset by the movement and confidence of Jess and in truth, The Orange had no answer.

The hosts, like NKF, unbeaten thus far had been unable to engender any real offense, bar a quickly taken and well flighted Lee Hendrie free-kick to younger brother Stuart, at inside-right but the forward lifted his shot well over the crossbar. Amoo had seen a shot from a neat corner routine involving Lee Hendrie deflected off target by the alert Zach Green and although the referee saw nothing wrong when sturdy Burbage defender Grant Ball shoved Lee Hendrie in the back, the nearby linesman saw it clearly enough and with the veteran midfielder yelling and the referee’s assistant flagging furiously, the man-in-the-middle was forced to acknowledge the misdemeanour and award a penalty. Stuart Hendrie’s low spot-kick was brilliantly turned aside by NKF ‘keeper Alec Hill, diving right.

Another Lee Hendrie-Amoo routine saw the beleaguered defender shoot way too high this time and only a weak header by the quiet Kelan Shepherd bothered the visitors at all. The issuing of yellow cards had pleasingly interrupted play for the rather tardy referee, who brandished them at Ball and Oli Bradshaw of NKF, plus Montpellier’s Stuart Hendrie, brother Lee of course and, I believe, Trevor Edwards, for complaining bitterly about goal one. Interestingly, there was a suggestion of stamping by one player early on too but in a tough, uncompromising, unpleasantly played game, that was hardly surprising. Despite the onset of the break, it really did seem unlikely that Montpellier had the guile to trouble their guests and this proved to be totally accurate.

Wilcock relieved Shepherd at half-time for the hosts and soon, following the sending-off of a furious Lee Hendrie, Dom Oliver replaced the ineffective Nic Oakley. Both right-back Conor Wright and Oliver were cautioned in an inauspicious opening to the second period and Oliver’s caution was for swearing when the referee stood in his way, as he made ground in midfield. The substitute appealed that he was simply frustrated and wasn’t having a go at the official personally but I bet Edwards was keen to suggest that the referee should maybe get a sense of humour…

Oliver lifted two late shots over the crossbar and visiting replacement Matt Hopwood, beard a-dragging, did well to scramble a good left-wing centre by Edwards past his own right post under pressure. Then Wilcock scored a fine goal when Amoo took the ball from defence to some effect, Stuart Hendrie, on the left touchline, knocked the ball inside and forwards for Wilcock to nudge past Ball but as he turned onto his right foot the replacement curled a fine effort round Hill’s dive and into the right corner of the net from 18 yards. That was all the hosts could conjure up however, despite some neat foot skills by Rodriguez on a few occasions, for the pressing, the tackling, the eagerness and the resolution of Burbage showed through clearly.

Before Coleing fouled Astill to concede a penalty the visitors had contained their hosts successfully and Jess Adcock nearly got in a telling shot, although moments after Lee Hendrie was dismissed for a foul, busy combative NKF midfielder Adam Zia, whose tackling had been fierce throughout, appeared to slide in with both feet on Wilcock and he looked a trifle fortunate only to be booked. Amoo scythed down Charlie Adcock and was lucky only to receive a caution, for his verbal disputes with the referee had been going on for a good while too. Amoo was soon dispossessed by Charlie and Jess drove wide of the left upright but the eventual trip on Astill by Coleing offered Burbage the chance to settle things. Astill’s clever penalty, pushed gently into the left corner of the net, with Johnson plunging in the opposite direction, was exactly what Montpellier deserved in truth.

NKF’s Astill then received a caution, left-sider Alex Coultas had been replaced by Hopwood and earlier, Green had been withdrawn for the introduction of Sam Wakefield. Jess Adcock saw a low shot deflected and Zia’s later effort was easily saved by the falling Johnson but there was no denying Burbage a convincing and well deserved victory.

The action was watchable, Burbage were watchable, Montpellier were not very watchable but the baiting of one player by members of the audience although very effective, was not very watchable at all…

TEAMS:

MONTPELLIER:
CRAIG JOHNSON, CONOR WRIGHT, KYLE BISHOP, TORIN COLEING, RYAN AMOO, NIC OAKLEY, LEE HENDRIE, TREVOR EDWARDS (CAPT), DANIEL RODRIGUEZ, KELAN SHEPHERD, STUART HENDRIE.
SUBS:
JAMES WILCOCK, DOM OLIVER, RUSS DODD, MATT IORNS, JACK BLUNT.

NKF BURBAGE:
ALEC HILL, CIARAN HUGHES, GRANT BALL, JACK WHITEHURST, NATHAN ASTILL (CAPT), ZACH GREEN, OLI BRADSHAW, ADAM ZIA, CHARLIE ADCOCK, JESS ADCOCK, ALEX COULTAS.
SUBS:
ANDY FARREN, MATT HOPWOOD, KIERAN ILLIFFE, SAM WAKEFIELD, JORDAN RUSHTON.

MONTPELLIER FOOTBALL CLUB

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