Central Start New Season Down the Wrong Avenue
- Louis Wishlade
- Aug 13, 2023
- 3 min read
Manchester Central started the 2023/23 season with a tough defeat at Heywood Sports Village, suffering a 4-2 loss at the hands of Avenue FC.
In wet and windy conditions, the opening weekend got off to a competitive start. Showers throughout the day ensured the saturation of the grass playing surface, forcing the fixture to become an aerial long-ball affair.
With a smattering of physical battles around the pitch, the pace of the game was quickly set. However, Central would be hampered early on as Thi-Reece Lenihan picked up a knock early on.
That said, the opening minutes remained fairly competitive, with Central having their fair share of opportunities from the end-to-end style of the game. Full-back Rory Robertson caused Avenue FC some issues early on by curling a number of dangerous crosses into the box.
Watch all of the goals here...
Jurgen Sade came close in the 13th minute, latching onto a through ball behind the home side's defensive line, but his low-drilled effort was directed straight at the goalkeeper.
Just ten minutes later Sade had his second chance. Dmitri Kemayou floated a beautiful ball over the top of the Avenue defence, which the young striker deftly controlled before beating two men. However, Sade's run was soon blocked by the onrushing goalkeeper.
The home side had two dangerous chances of their own around the thirty-minute mark. The almost identical moves saw the Avenue attack use a malfunctioning Central off-side trap to open-up the Outcasts' defence. Fortunately, the first shot dribbled just wide of the far post, whilst Aaron Stockton saved the second attempt.
Unfortunately, though, the game's first goal would come just a minute later as the away side conceded a bullet header directly from a corner, with number five wheeling away in celebration.
It would take Central just five minutes to strike back. Tom Janney threaded a marvellous ball through the middle of the sodden pitch, eventually finding Kemayou on the edge of the box. After lurching towards goal, Avenue's goalkeeper blocked his first effort, but the central midfielder was able to convert the rebound with his left foot just feet away from the goal-line.
The final goal of the second half arrived just moments before the referee's whistle, as a move down Central's left side culminated with Avenue's number sixteen firing a low shot into the bottom left corner.
Avenue's third was rather more controversial, arriving just minutes after the break following a turnover of possession through - in the eyes of the Central bench - a foul. After winning the ball, the opposition's number seven sliced the away side's defence in half with a well-placed through ball, finding number ten on the right side of the box who neatly slotted his effort into the bottom-left corner. Despite multiple calls for off-side, the goal stood.
The home side scored another in relatively quick succession, but it was quickly disallowed for off-side.
Going two goals down somewhat reinvigorated Central, who were afforded two opportunities on goal by the way of free kicks - one direct and one indirect - but both would go amiss.
Instead, Avenue would once again find the back of the net, with numbers seven and ten linking up for a near-identical move for the home side's fourth.
That said, Central refused to give in. Despite the scoreline, Central continued to fight, culminating in a second goal with just minutes until the final whistle. Captain Dan Dolling delivered a beautiful curling ball from a free kick near the halfway line, finding the head of Lenihan.
Despite the result, manager Chris Tomkinson was not dissuaded by his side's performance in the post-match interview, hinting at a belief that his side has the potential to thrive this season. Listen to his thoughts here...
Comments