KJM MATCH REPORT Millbrook AFC 0 Mousehole AFC 1
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- Created on Wednesday, 08 March 2023 10:49
- Last Updated on Thursday, 09 March 2023 07:11
- Published on Wednesday, 08 March 2023 10:49
- Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT at Jenkins Park
Jake Ash’s side, now only three points behind Western League leaders Saltash United with three games in hand, have established a reputation as a high scoring outfit.
But one Jack Bray-Evans goal, in the second minute, proved enough to collect all three points on this occasion and their desire to hear the final whistle illustrated what this victory meant to them.
Mousehole manager Jake Ash said: “Delighted to win a very tricky game on a really difficult surface.
“Millbrook set up in a very low block and tried to limit space between lines. That meant a game where we had an awful lot of possession.
“We stressed to the boys that they needed to remain patient and wait for openings - not to get frustrated when it broke down due to the pitch or lack of space.
“While we perhaps didn’t create the volume of chances we’d have liked, I think Millbrook had one shot at goal so we felt in control.
“Macca (Brown) has done a brilliant job at Millbrook and they probably have the youngest team in the league. I’m not sure many other managers would be able to provide such a regularly stern test with the resources he has available to him.
“For us it’s another game we can tick off, no injuries and some minutes for players coming back so all told it’s a positive night.”
For Millbrook, with young keeper Jake Mead Crebbin making his Western League debut after signing on dual registration from South West Peninsula League Callington, the start was a disaster but they grew into the game well.
Manager Brown said: “I thought we did well; against Mousehole the game naturally tends to veer in one direction such is their quality on the ball, and you have to have concentration and defend well and I thought we did that.
“The early goal was a blow, it was soft from our part and it was exactly what Mousehole would have wanted, but our reaction to it was excellent and we didn’t make it easy for them and restricted their openings.
“I think Jake had one good one on one save just before half time, but other than that I felt we were comfortable albeit without the ball for long periods.
“You’ve just got to keep it 1-0 as long as you can, and then hope that you can just show that bit of quality when it matters and that’s probably what we lacked if I was being overly critical.
“The pitch didn’t help both teams in that respect as it’s rock hard at the moment and bobbly, I’ve never known pitches like it in February and March, and it affected both teams.
“It meant Mousehole probably didn’t play at their normal level of intensity which helped us, but it restricted our threat on the turnover of possession which is an area where we were so good back in August at Trungle.
“In the end I think both teams were quite comfortable with how the game was playing out which meant an interesting final 10 minutes as we then started to see a bit more of the ball.
“But credit to Mousehole, they got back on the ball in the 90th minute and saw out the last three or four minutes really well.
“We’ve now played the top two teams in the last week and there’s lot of positives to take.
“Last week against Saltash we didn’t have the same edge as we did last night but we were much better on the ball, so despite two defeats the bigger picture tells us we’ve done ok as it was two very different types of opposition.
“We now look forward to Saturday, another home game where we try to avenge a really bad result at Clevedon earlier in the season.
“We’ll have no Ryan Knight unfortunately, who was excellent last night, as he’s off to the Crufts dog show, which is a new one for me but you can’t stand in the way of a man’s passion!”
While Millbrook, 14th, host Alex White's Clevedon, 10th, second placed Mousehole travel to Clem Bennellick's Ilfracombe, 16th, in the league on Saturday.
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