Tough start to the season continues for Kenilworth Wardens

By Eamonn Richards

1st Oct 2024 | Football


Kenilworth Wardens lost their fourth consecutive game of the season, to Midland Football League One side Nuneaton griff.

Wardens started the game well limiting Nuneaton to crosses, although twice in the first 10 minutes Tom Day had to make good saves from mishit crosses heading for the top corner. 

Wardens had the first real chance of the game when Eamonn Richards pressed high up winning two tackles before slipping in Dan Twigger in behind. Twigger narrowly got to the ball before the Nuneaton keeper but the keeper made a good save to deny the in-form striker.

Nuneaton took the lead on 15 minutes, when their right winger put the ball through captain James Butler's legs and put an excellent cross which was bundled in over the line, despite an Alex Bradley tackle on the line. 

Wardens continued to battle and were getting more of a foothold in the game, with Harrison Wright looking dangerous on the right hand side.

Wardens equalised on 30 minutes. Louis Beck managed to win the ball on the half way line, wriggle away from two players and chip the ball to Richards. Richards controlled on his chest before playing a sublime through ball to Twigger who beat the onrushing keeper to the ball before passing into an empty net. 

But parity did not last for long as Nuneaton immediately retook the lead with an excellent effort from outside the box which movement beat Day in the Wardens goal. 

In the second half wardens started well and equalised again on 55 minutes.

Sol Bloomer won the ball back high up and chipped to the corner, Twigger managed to tackle the Nuneaton captain and drove towards goal, shaped to pass to the free Richards and Beck but instead shot with outside of his boot into the corner, wrong footing the Nuneaton keeper. Twigger's seventh goal in four games. 

Nuneaton made four substitutions and began to look more dangerous. On 78 minutes a long ball forward was allowed to bounce and nuneatons substitute whose shot from outside the box stuck into the corner. 

This began Wardens' collapse where Nuneaton scored three more goals in the last 10 minutes, a penalty immediately after their third goal and two excellent headed goals as well forcing Day into several brilliant saves meaning the game ended 6-2.

"Firstly want to congratulate Nuneaton Griff and wish them the best in this competition. They're a really good side and really good guys," Richards said after the game.

"The score line doesn't reflect the game at all, for 78 minutes we were excellent and the game was even. The biggest difference was their ability to change the game and to bring on quality subs. 

"This run has been so difficult, playing five top top teams to begin has been hard to manage. But I think we're looking more and more like a side I want us to be and the positives were the starting 11s ability to follow and execute the tactical plan.

"We obviously need to create more scoring opportunities and goals from other areas rather than relying on Twigger, who's been excellent."

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