Dunkirk visited Plains Road on Tuesday night in the second round of the EMCL cup looking to avenge their 5-2 league defeat to Gedling Miners Welfare in mid-October.
The hosts are on somewhat of a come down recently after losing their last 3 league games and slipping to 9th in the table, despite a positive start. Dunkirk, sat one place below Gedling in the latest standings, come into the game after an impressive 2-1 league win against Barrow Town at the weekend, having also beaten them 2-0 in the first round of the competition.
The home side, although decimated by injury with 9 first teamers absent, made the livelier starts out of the two and quickly looked to settle into the game. However, the first two noteworthy attacks were shared. After referee Phil Carey superbly played two advantages favouring the visitors on 10 minutes, Daryll Thomas, riding both tackles, found the unmarked Will Rawdon, but he could only tamely fire the ball at Chris Heltorp, much to the frustration of his provider. At the other end, from a superb Joe Meakin set piece, typical of his abilities, Dwayne Brown could only flick his header into the hands of Ryan Howes, a true reflection of how the game had begun.
At this stage, the game was played in a frantic and combative manner, with both side wondering how early they could turn their opponent’s defences and certainly not shying out of a tackle. In a reflection, Jimmy Spiers was cautioned as early as the 16th minute for tackle deemed too unlawful by referee Carey. Though, despite the past-paced start to the game, the first half wore down into a very uneventful affair in terms of attacking threat, and it took until the 31st minute for the next best opportunity to go begging, squandered by the men from Lenton.
From a dangerous corner by George Harrison, defender Oliver Clark, at his second attempt on goal, must have thought he had given his side the lead but was unaware of the last ditch efforts of Dwayne Brown who cleared well off the line through a contingent of players in the area before the danger was eventually cleared. Dunkirk were the better side as they continued to probe and always looked threatening going forward. Though, emblematic of Gedling’s resilience displayed all season, they stood firm defensively and thwarted all that was thrown at them.
Just before the break, Miners registered their first shot on anger on Howes’ goal. Though, Joe Meakin’s effort, not lacking in power, was limited in terms of accuracy and it was catching practice for the young away custodian as both sides went into the break all-square. However, the second half was only 6 minutes old when the opener eventually arrived and it went to the home side.
After Joe Meakin channelled a ball for Jack Jepson to run on too, the pass was easily intercepted by Pat Newsome, but an innocuous slip caused the visitors skipper to lose possession and Jepson picked up the loose ball to run directly at the retreating back line before slotting the ball into the far corner past the stationary Howes. A fine individual and persistent effort for Jepson who worked tirelessly all evening as a lone striker.
It got even better for Gedling only 3 minutes later when, rather strangely, they made it 2-0. After Spiers was clipped just inside Dunkirk’s half by Joel Howes, Joe Meakin stepped up to fire a dangerous delivery from deep aiming to cause trouble defensively. However, whether through intention or assistance from the gusty breeze sweeping Plains Road, the ball flew over the misjudging Ryan Howes into the top corner from 45-yards as the ‘keeper’s reaction with the ball in-flight telling a sorry story for Dunkirk.
It was apparent that the second goal took the wind, quite aptly, out of Dunkirk as, despite their competitive edge, they failed to muster much in front of goal in the second period. Despite a flurry of second half attacking substitutions, they were always susceptible to mistakes defensively and they continued to panic amidst the tireless attacking pressure Gedling continued to put on them. On 70 minutes, substitute and debutant Raheem Suban, could have confirmed Gedling’s progression, but his powerful effort, after good build up play by Cardell Lubban, was straight into the body of Hawes.
A minute later though, counter-attacking directly from the previous Gedling attack, and Dunkirk could really have made a game of the final 20 minutes when Adrian Lang, cut in behind Barry Payne and Steven Brett, and bore down on goal. But, despite rounding Heltorp, the tight angle made it difficult for the winger and that helped Joe Evans recover well and superbly clear off the line with a last-ditch clearance. A superb recovery run from the full-back who was impressive all evening.
Gedling continued to thwart the away side who, quite frankly, had ran out of ideas. They performed fantastically both as an attacking and defensive eleven when necessary and, although the football wasn’t their best of the season, sheer togetherness and persistence won them this game and affirmed their name in the metaphoric hat for the next round. In the final 10 minutes, in a final ditch to salvage something, Harrison tested Heltorp with accurately hit free-kick, but it was one for the cameras for the Norwegian as he collected mid-air with ease as the final few minutes ticked and victory was confirmed.
With Gedling’s opponents for the third round presently unknown, attention turns back to league action on Saturday (25th November) as Gedling, looking for their first league win in 4, travel to the NFU Sports Ground in Leicestershire to face Ashby Ivanhoe with a 3pm kick off.
Gedling Miners Welfare Man of the Match – Barry Payne
Match Attendance – 62
Referee – Mr. Phil Carey
Assistant Referees – Mr. Derek Spray and Mr. Thomas Toland
Gedling Miners Welfare – Chris Heltorp, Charlie Roberts, Dwayne Brown, Barry Payne, Steven Brett, Joe Evans, Jimmy Spiers(c) (Daniel Pass 90’), Joe Meakin (Cardell Lubban 67’), Jordan Whitehead, Carey Knight (Raheem Suban 57’), Jack Jepson.
Unused Substitution – Keaton Sharpe
Cautions – Spiers (foul 17’), Evans (foul 39’)
Dunkirk FC – Ryan Howes, Oliver Robinson (Lewis Wilcox 55’), Toby Moore, Joel Howes (Phil Massingham 71’), Oliver Clark, Pat Newsome (c), George Harrison, Richard Whyman, Tim Berridge, Daryll Thomas (Adrian Lang 55’), Will Rawdon.
Unused Substitution – Steve Chaplin
Cautions – Howes (foul 54’), Clark (dissent 88’)
