It’s back-to-back wins for Cogenhoe as they win the local derby at The Sett. In a repeat of last season’s league game over there, an early goal proved enough to secure the points.
Saturday 8th April 2023
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE – PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS (0) 0 COGENHOE UNITED (1) 1
Cooks;
Anderson 2
Att; 95
Spring had finally sprung as we headed to Bugbrooke on a sunny, warm afternoon to face a St Michaels side in very good form of late. Luca Purse returned to the Cooks line-up following his toe op last weekend with Josh Jones dropping down to the bench. That was far from a straight swap as Biff’s numbering was far from orthodox, with Bruce Tsinosis wearing three but playing in the centre of midfield, while six Ben Gough took the left back berth today. Bailey Weatherly started against his former club, while the other ex-Badgers Jamie Hall and Dalton Leon started the afternoon on the subs bench. For the home side, Joe Malkin lined up against his former teammates, while the other two former Cooks players Ben Drinkwater and Shad Reza were amongst their subs.
Bugbrooke had the first attack, but the Cooks broke away to take the lead with just two minutes on the clock. Alex Parkes clipped a great ball over the top for Pharrell Anderson to run on to and he had the pace to keep ahead of centre-back Brandon Hallmark before coolly slotting the ball past the advancing Luke Reeve from just inside the box to open the scoring. Great finish from Pharrell for his 9th of the season for the Cooks, but he has to thank Alex for a superb ball that created the opportunity.
Jessi Obeng fired a decent effort a couple of feet too high from 20-yards out, then Weatherly was tripped by Aiden Webster after cutting inside his man to earn his team a free kick just beyond the right corner of the box. Parkes sent it in and it was a little overhit, although Perry Ronayne stretched to head it back across, but Parkes next ball into the area bounced through to Reeve. Purse hooked a great cross in from the left that looped over to the back post, but unfortunately Anderson slipped at the vital moment and couldn’t reach the ball as a result. Weatherly battled well just inside the box and fed the ball back to Tsinosis who swept it left to Gough, but his first time cross was a little too long for the Cooks the make any use of.
Ed Panter is always a lively character up front and he did really well to get deep inside of the box just to the right and slip the ball into the 6-yard box, but Gough had read it well and came across to clear. Gough was soon back down the other end and sent over a good cross that Anderson brought down before seeing his shot blocked and when the rebound fell to Obeng, he too couldn’t get his shot through the Badgers defence. Weatherly tried to play Parkes through, but the ball had too much on it and rolled through to Reeve before a lovely knock from Barrett was just too high for Obeng to get his head to at the far post. Another superb Gough cross from the left saw Weatherly get in front of his marker on the edge of the 6-yard box, but he couldn’t get over the ball and his header went over the top. Anderson got the better of Hallmark just inside the Badgers half and made for goal, but this time Malkin matched his pace and was able to get his foot to the ball deep inside the box and put it behind, although the officials gave it as a goal-kick.
The Cooks took their early lead into the break courtesy of Anderson’s cool finish, which had been the only real test for either keeper so far in the game.
Half-Time; Badgers 0 Cooks 1
No changes from either side at the break and not much of interest either in the opening few minutes. Jules Baxter had to come on twice to treat first Tsinosis and then Anderson, before a good run down the right by Barrett saw his pull back go just behind Anderson and Parkes inside the box. Gough picked things up on the left though and sent over a cross that was well caught by Reeve at his back stick. Gough hit the wall from a free-kick after Anderson had been brought down just outside the box, while Dale Walton made his first change as Malkin made way for Kieran Spencer just before the hour. Barrett hit a good strike went behind off a defender’s leg, then down the other end, Gough did well to cut out a Will Jones cross form the right. Calvin Green sent over a good looking corner, but it was just too deep for Tom Smyth who could only head wide just beyond the far post. Kev Shehi sent in a free-kick from the left that Webster headed wide, but he had been hampered by Ben Garwood as both Bugbrooke players had gone for the ball.
Good defending from Ronayne saw him win the ball in the air and steer it back to Ash Bodycote despite being caught late by Panter, then Obeng won the ball a few yards inside the Bugbrooke half allowing Parkes to play the ball down the line to Gough who whipped the ball across the box, but it was a defender who got his head to it first. Gough went for goal from 25-yards out, but his shot took a heavy deflection off a defender and went straight into the waiting grasp of Reeve. Both sides made a change on 68 minutes with Biff bringing on Ethan Lack for the impressive Parkes, while the home side swapped Hallmark for Drinkwater. Barrett became the first Cooks player to be shown the yellow card after appearing to go straight through Drinkwater to welcome him into the game. Ronayne stretched to cut out a Garwood cross just before Anderson limped off to be replaced by Jamie Hall for the final 18 minutes.
Bodycote caught one corner cleanly, then shortly afterwards another Green flag-kick saw him jump well and get his fists to the ball before being caught late by a Bugbrooke player to earn a free-kick. Weatherly touched the ball on for Obeng inside the box but his shot was weak and Reeve saved it and grabbed the ball before Hall could pounce on any rebound. Gough sent the ball down the left flank to Hall who pulled it back to Obeng on the edge of the box and his curling effort went just wide of the far post while Bugbrooke made another change as Shehi made way for former Cooks youth team starlet Shad Reza. Webster was shown the yellow card after catching Gough late down by the corner flag. I don’t think there was any intent meant here, but he committed himself to the challenge only for the Cooks man to get their first. Biff made a double change on 81 minutes as Weatherly and Gough came off to be replaced by Leon and Jones.
Barrett did well to win a corner off Reza down the right and Lack’s delivery was met by a great header from Purse that was heading towards the top corner when Reeve did well to get his fingertips to the ball and turn it around the post. This time’s Lack’s corner took a deflection, possibly off Ronayne, but it didn’t quite fall for Purse who was ready to shoot from 7-yards out. Hall played Obeng clear through, but the flag had been raised for offside against Hall which seemed harsh from where I stood, but the assistant referee was in a better position than myself, while Obeng was cautioned for kicking the ball away after the whistle had gone.
A deserved victory for the Cooks today against a Bugbrooke side who were clearly not at there best today. We defended superbly throughout and gave the normally dangerous Ed Panter and Will Jones nothing to work with which resulted in Ash Bodycote not having a single save to make all game. In truth it wasn’t a particularly entertaining game to watch for any neutrals present, but the Cooks won’t be worried about that as they made it 2 wins on the bounce, both against teams in good form. Good luck to Dale Walton and his team in their final few games of the season. Plenty of good performances today from the Cooks with Ben Gough leading the way for me today, but I handed over the Man-of-the-Match decision to Jon Wright for this match and he picked Paddy Cichosz just ahead of Luca Purse.
The Cooks are straight back into action on Easter Monday afternoon when we head down the A45 to Wellingborough Town with that game kicking off at 3pm.
Badgers; 1. Luke Reeve 2. Ben Garwood 3. Kev Shehi (sub 17. Shad Reza 75) 4. Tom Smyth 5. Brandon Hallmark (sub 12. Ben Drinkwater 68) 6. Tom Walton © 7. Calvin Green 8. Aiden Webster 9. Ed Panter 10. Joe Malkin (sub 16. Kieran Spencer 58) 11. Will Jones. Subs not used; 14. Jake Webster 15. Trent Oakes.
Yellow card; A. Webster (80) Foul.
Cooks; 1. Ash Bodycote 2. Luca Purse 3. Bruce Tsinosis 4. Alex Parkes (sub 16. Ethan Lack 68) 5. Perry Ronayne 6. Ben Gough (sub 17. Josh Jones 81) 7. Louis Barrett 8. Paddy Cichosz © 9. Pharrell Anderson (sub 20. Jamie Hall 72)) 10. Bailey Weatherly (sub 15. Dalton Leon 81) 11. Jessi Obeng. Sun not used; 12. Callum Farmer.
Yellow cards; Barrett (70) Foul. Obeng (90+1) KBA.
Referee; Scott Hanna
Assts; Steve Edwards & Gary Halliday
