Carlin gets his first glimpse of the boys in action as they edge out the Romans.
Friday 1st July 2022
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
COGENHOE UNITED (1) 2 IRCHESTER UNITED (1) 1
Cooks;
Bates 9
White 71
Romans;
Camacho 34
Att; 97
Scott Carlin used twenty players tonight as the lads got their first run out of the season in a friendly game against Irchester United on the back-pitch at Compton Park, with his rein kicking off with a narrow victory.
The starting eleven included five of last season’s squad with two more coming on at half-time. Louie Barrett looked lively from the start and it was he who set up the first goal on 9 minutes when his pass picked out Will Bates’ run into the box on the right and he coolly slotted his shot across the keeper and into far bottom corner. The goal came moments after Irchester should really have taken the lead, but Jack Beckley missed the target with the goal at his mercy after a good move. Bates robbed his man just outside the box and slipped the ball inside where Alex Parkes just failed to make contact and it arrived just behind Barrett who couldn’t get around his shot enough to keep it on target.
Beckley turned his man in the box but fired straight at the keeper, then a mix up at the back saw Vaughan trip Dan Camacho, but referee Aaron Lloyd waved play on. Michael Gough hooked over the top from a corner for the Cooks, but The Romans grabbed a deserved equaliser on 34 minutes when Camacho finished off a good move as he controlled the ball nicely inside the box before firing home. Owen Brooks headed over at the far post with Cogenhoe’s last opportunity of the half, but they went into the break level at one-apiece.
Carlin made eight changes at the break with only Gough, Bates and skipper Paddy Cichosz remaining from the first half. Pharell Anderson was quickly into the game on the right and sent over a dangerous low ball that fellow sub Luca Iaciofano forced keeper Tom Lewin to save just inside his post. The Cooks hit the post when Archie Elmore’s cross saw a trialist striker nip in front of his marker to head the ball. The same pairing saw the latter just unable to get to Elmore’s cross on the edge of the six-yard box.
The Cooks did take the lead for the second time on 71 minutes though when Mitch White found a yard of space a few yards outside the box and hit a low shot that wrong-footed the keeper to find the back of the net. A great move saw Iaciofano play the ball out right to Anderson and he slipped it back into the path of Iaciofano’s run on the edge of the box and his well-weighted effort was just a few inches over the bar.
It’s always nice to get a win, but getting match action into the lads and having a look at how they fare in a match situation was the most important thing tonight. Thanks to Dan Stewart for bringing over a team and giving us a good game, especially in the first half. Really liked the look of right-back Kenny Kwarteng and I’m sure Dan Camacho will bag them plenty of goals this season.
Please keep a watchful eye on our social media before Tuesday’s game as we continue to prepare the pitch. It could well be switched to Nirvana as Moulton College has been ruled out, but I will endeavour to get the latest news for you on the website on Monday evening at the latest.
