Merry Hill Pub Football Club

Mount Tavern 1 – 6 Ashmore
Sunday saw the Mount play host to 1st division leaders Ashmore in the 1st round of the Wolverhampton Charity Cup. Mount were looking to recreate last season’s cup run which saw them reach the quarter final stage.
Team Selection:
Chris Sambrook
Matt Addis Ste Homfray Lee Quarry Stuart Hartill
Sean Walkden Mark Aldridge (c) Andy Broom Lee Hartill
Ant Morrison Neil Ashton
Manager Craig Jackson decided to keep faith with the same team following last week’s success with the exception of absentee Adam Pugh being replaced by the returning Andy Broom in the centre of midfield.
Mount looked to build on their recent performances as Ashmore kicked off the game. Ashmore also unbeaten and yet to concede a goal this season looked to stamp the superiority on the game early on but it was from a defensive error that they took the lead. When Lee Quarry failed to clear the ball with his head the Ashmore strikers picked up the loose ball and a cute backheel on the edge of the box left the striker with the games first chance and was finished neatly into the bottom right hand corner.
Mount weren’t exactly surprised to be trailing and looked on their early season comeback against All Saints Athletic for inspiration. However as Mount tried to play their way back into the game they found themselves further behind. After an Ashmore break looked to have broke down Lee Hartill missed a loose ball and Mount were subsequently punished.
At this point Ashmore smelt blood and continued to produce chances with Mounts Chris Sambrook doing his best to keep the game competitive. However despite falling 2 goals behind Mount started to fashion a few chances of their own. Sean Walkden ran clear and with only the keeper to beat screwed wide from the right hand side of the box whilst under pressure from the retreating full back. Walkden shortly after delivered a peach of a cross to the back post where the unmarked Neil Ashton headed over from 6 yards when he should have perhaps done better.
Mount continued to press and good link up play on the left hand side between Mark Aldridge and Lee Hartill saw them halve the deficit. A neat one two between the pair saw Lee Hartill burst clear of the opposing fullback before slotting the ball across the keeper and into the back of the net with his weaker left foot for his first goal for the club.
H.T Mount Tavern 1 – 2 Ashmore
The goal have given the Mount renewed belief that the game was there to be won and manager Craig Jackson kept faith with his charges for the start of the second half. Mount kicked off the second half and kept the ball well at times without fashioning any clear cut chances. Lee Quarry was replaced by Adam Perkins shortly after half time. This meant that Mark Aldridge dropped back into the centre of defence with Ant Morrison dropping into the midfield. Mount continued in search of the equaliser and began to frustrate the opposition. Ashmore picking up a couple of bookings for some crude challanges and could have been down to ten when Ant Morrison was struck accross the face.
However for all their possession it was no surprise when Ashmore restored there 2 goal lead. The manner of the goal however was very disappointing. Mount conceded a corner and failed to pick up their men properly. The ball came in from the resulting corner, causing confusion amongst both defenders and goalkeeper, before settling in the back of the net despite the best efforts of Stuart Hartill on the line.
With this the Mount player’s heads seemed to drop and Lee Hartill was shortly replaced by Phil Plant with Sean Walkden swapping wings. Mount were forced into the final substitution not long after due to a nasty facial injury sustained by Andy Broom. Ricky Sandhu was his replacement with Adam Perkins now dropping into the midfield.
Mount continued to try and play their passing game but the substitutions and scoreline seemed to affect a number of players and Ashmore made them pay adding a further 3 goals in the final 10 minutes.
Mount manager Craig Jackson was somewhat disappointed in his teams second half performance but conceded they had lost to the better team on the day.
M.O.M – Ste Homfray
Other Results from Division 4:
AFC Sporting Manor 3 – 0 Compton Park Saints
Bilbrook Revolution 1 – 3 All Saints Athletic
Codsall Athletic 3 – 1 Alumwell Athletic
Coven 2 – 3 W-ton Sports GNG W-field F.C

Alumwell Athletic 0 – 3 Mount Tavern
Yesterday saw the Mount Tavern travel to Alumwell Athletic although they didn’t have to travel far as they also played there home matches at Windsor. This game also coincided with the return of manager Craig Jackson for his first league game in charge.
Team Selection
Chris Sambrook
Matt Addis Ste Homfray Lee Quarry Stuart Hartill
Sean Walkden Adam Pugh Mark Aldridge (c) Lee Hartill
Ant Morrison Neil Ashton
Mount Tavern welcomed Ste Homfray back to the centre of defence in place of the injured Chris White. Alongside him manager Craig Jackson gave a debut to Lee Quarry, pushing Mark Aldridge up into the midfield, with Jackson also giving a full debut to Lee Hartill on the left side of midfield.
Mount Tavern kicked off the game and looked to build on the point they earned the previous week and with the manager’s words of encouragement still ringing in their ears the players went about their business. The playing surface was not the greatest; however Tavern coped with the conditions and looked to get the ball down and play. Tavern looked the better side from early on and had a lot of joy down the right hand side through good link up play between Matt Addis and Sean Walkden with the latter whipping a few teasing crosses into the box.
Tavern we playing some neat passing football however the only efforts they had to show were a Lee Hartill shot and a Sean Walkden effort that went narrowly wide. From a Sean Walkden cross the deadlock was almost broken. Lee Hartill nipped in but Tavern could not get a shot way and the chance was gone. Another opportunity came from a Ste Homfray throw, although cleared, Homfray headed back towards the area where Neil Ashton rose to head against the outside of the post.
Alumwell had been restricted to long shots for most of the first half but the best chance fell to them just before half time. Alumwell, via a deflected long shot, earned a corner and from that delivery the captain of Alumwell was presented with what looked like a free header at the back post having lost his marker. However he didn’t manage to make any kind of connection and Tavern breathed a sigh of relief, most notably Neil Ashton.
H.T Alumwell Athletic 0 – 0 Mount Tavern
Manager Craig Jackson had been encouraged by his team’s performance and told them to carry on about their business and the goals would surely come. Tavern continued to get the ball down and string some good passing moves together as they looked to break the deadlock. They deservedly took the lead though Ant Morrison. After the ball rebounded from Adam Pugh’s 20 yard strike, that had hit the inside of the post, Ant Morrison was on hand to continue his recent scoring streak. However this will not go down as his greatest strike as his scuffed effort was completely misjudged by the keeper and flapped into the net.
Tavern continued to push for a second goal that would almost end this game as a contest and were rewarded though Neil Ashton. A throw deep in the opposition half taken by Ste Homfray wasn’t cleared this time and Neil Ashton was on hand to head home and open his league account for the club. This would prove to be both his and Lee Hartill’s last piece of the action as they were replaced by Ricky Sandhu and Phil Plant as manager Craig Jackson looked for his team to close out the game. Nick Perkins also replaced Ant Morrison a short time later with Sean Walken moving alongside Ricky Sandhu in attack and Nick Perkins slotting in on the left hand side of the midfield
The fresh legs of the Tavern subs continued to cause Alumwell problems. Following a good run and cross from Ricky Sandhu, Sean Walkden was on hand to open his account for the season with an attempted poyet volley. Like Ant Morrisons opener this was not the cleanest of strikes and again the keeper flapped at the ball as it made its way into the net.
Walkden tried to repay the favour to Ricky Sandhu in the closing stages of the game. However from his low cross from the left across the goal and with the goal at his mercy, Sandhu blazed horribly over for what would have been his first goal for the club.
Not long after the ref below the final whistle and Tavern were well worthy of the three points. Manger Craig Jackson seemed pleased with the performance as Tavern picked up their first win of the campaign and remained unbeaten albeit only 2 games into the new season.
M.O.M – Matt Addis
Other results from Division 4:
Bilbrook Revolution 5 – 2 Royal Oak Rushall
Compton Park Saints 0 – 4 AFC Woodcross

Mount Tavern 3 – 3 All Saints Athletic
Mount Tavern began their league season at home playing hosts to All Saints at Windsor earlier today. The men in orange, having played 4 pre-season frendlies in the build up to this game, were full of optimism for what this season could bring.

Team Selection:
Chris Sambrook
Phil Plant Chris White Mark Aldridge (c) Stuart Hartill
Matt Addis Andy Broom Adam Pugh Sean Walkden
Neil Ashton Ant Morrison

All Saints kicked off the game and were gifted the perfect start early on as having failed to deal properly with a cross, the ball dropped to the No 10 who was subsequently hacked down by a mistimed lunge from Phil Plant. The burly no 4 midfield veteran stepped up and placed the penalty to the bottom corner keepers right.
Tavern, still feeling sorry for themselves, found the going even tougher as they fell further behind. A cross was only half cleared before the ball fell to the veteran no 4. Tavern failed to close him down properly and he then unleashed a shot into the net from around 25 yards.
Tavern had had the stuffing knocked out of them within the first ten minutes but they then began to get the ball down and begin to string a couple of passes together. They found a route back into the game from a set-piece. Sean Walkden whipping a corner for Ant Morrison to grab his and Mount Taverns first goal of the season.
Not long after Tavern were back on level terms. Ant Morrison was found in space on the right hand corner of the box and attacked the All Saints full back only to lose possession. The fullback, now in possession himself, then lost the ball to Morrison who proceeded to whip the ball left footed towards goal. The cross sailed over the goalkeeper and into the top left hand corner of the net.
The momentum was now with the Mount and they could have taken the lead. Neil Ashton wasted a golden opportunity when he blazed over, although Tavern could have been awarded a penalty of their own in the build up when an All Saints defender appeared to handle in the box. Ant Morrison then had the chance to complete his hat-trick only to shoot straight at the on rushing goalkeeper when left one on one.
Tavern were made to pay for these missed opportunities when All Saints were awarded another penalty. Adam Pugh was the offender this time sliding in with a mis-timed challenge earning his and Taverns first booking of the season. The All Saints No 4 putting the resulting penalty low into the net keepers right again despite the best efforts of Chris Sambrook.
H.T Mount Tavern 2 – 3 All Saints Athletic
After some words of encouragement at half time Tavern attempted to yet again get themselves back into the game. Tavern were forced into their first change at half time as Nick Perkins replaced the injured Chris White at centre half. Tavern kicked off and battled to get back into the game but chances were at a premium. This forced assistant manager Chris White, in the absence of manager Craig Jackson, to utilise his subs replacing Phil Plant with Lee Hartill. This also meant a slight adjustment to the team with Matt Addis dropping into the right back berth.
Tavern continued to search for an equaliser with their best opportunity falling to striker Neil Ashton. Sean Walkden was again the architect from a set piece, his corner whipped to the head of the big striker, who headed high over the bar. This proved to be his last piece of the action as he was replaced by Adam Perkins.
Perkins eager to impress and with Chris Whites words of encouragement ringing in his ears breathed new life into the Mount Tavern attack. It didn’t take long for him to leave his mark on the game either. Ant Morrison, who was enjoying one of his best games for Tavern, turned provider. After picking the ball up on the half way line he played a though ball for Adam Perkins to run onto before slotting home low into the net.
Tavern continued to press for a winner with Andy Broom coming close with a 25 yard drive that the All Saints keeper just tipped over the bar. They thought they had won it as well at one stage. The ball was played though to Adam Perkins who despite the flagging off the linesman for offside was allowed to play on. After wriggling free of a couple of challenges his cross shot was tucked home by Sean Walkden. The ref adjudging him to be in an offside position.
With that Tavern thought they would have to settle for a hard earned point but were given a golden opportunity. Man of the moment Ant Morrison earned his side a last minute penalty after getting the wrong side of the opposition defence and being brought down. With regular penalty talker Chris White off the pitch, captain Mark Aldridge shouldered the responsibility. His penalty however was not his best and was saved by the All Saints keeper.
The ref blew his whistle and Tavern appeared disappointed to have only earned a point but after the horror start the endured it seemed a remarkable turnaround.
M.O.M – Andy Broom
Other results from Division 4:
AFC Woodcross 6 – 1 AFC Sporting Manor
Codsall Athletic 0 – 3 Bilbrook Revolution
Royal Oak Rushall 1 – 0 Alumwell Athletic
W-ton Sports 2 – 2 Compton Park Saints

Brewood OB 0 - 1 Mount Tavern

Yesterday saw the Mount Tavern embark on their first game of the 2012/13 pre-seaon under the new management of Craig Jackson.

With most of the squad lacking in match fitness this game was all about getting some much needed minutes under there belts before the season kicks off on the 2nd September.

Jacksons first team selection offered few suprises with the team adopting the old 'Mike Bassett 4-4-f**king 2 formation'.

Starting Line Up:

GK - Sambrook
LB - Phil
RB - Ted
CB - Wh**ey
CB - Ste
LM - Nick
RM - Ceser
CM - Pughy
CM - Aldo
CF - Ricky
CF - Ant

Subs:

Perk, Jem & Neil

The game started with kick off for the mount and them trying to keep the ball on the deck and string a few passes together, which considering this was there first game together for nearly 12 weeks, was relatively successful.

Jackson tinkered with the team during that first half but kept to the same formation throughout, which did tend to affect the teams cohesion, however they still looked the most likely to open the scoring with chances for Ant, Nick, Ricky and most notably trialist Neil, who grazed the cross bar.

Half Time 0 - 0

Jackson decided to employ a change in formation during the second half employing a 3-5-2 and at times 3-4-3, showing his tatical awareness and willingness to adapt to various game situations.

With the constant raft of subs the game looked like petering out into a 0-0 draw until about the 85th minute when Jem picked the ball up on the left hand side about 30 yards out, cut inside and unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box which the opposition goalkeeper could only parry. Neil, the trailist, who was keen to make an impression, followed up to convert for his first goal for the Mount.

Trialist Neil must have made the right impression on the manager as he put pen to paper on a 1 year rolling contract.

Overall it was a good solid performance to continue to build on towards the upcoming season. Well done boys

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two new players signed, two players from afc old wulfs to put pen to one year deals next week! Things are looking good for next season! Should have a healthy squad of players!!

Shaun Walton as been at it again!

Shaun Walton???