Craine Sparks Ten Man Robins to Three Points

Ronald Crane reports from Bournville Recreation Ground

This match was, perhaps, the best Robins performance of the season so far. Cadbury were put to the sword with an excellent display of high-quality football. Tom Craine hit the net twice and was a constant threat to the home side all afternoon.

He did not do it all on his own of course, his team-mates were all on top form. Although Athletic began like a greyhound springing out of the traps, the Robins were more than up to the task of defending.

Finding their feet about ten minutes into the game, Jack Mullen opened the scoring following a corner. Ten minutes later it was two courtesy of Craine who was on hand to tap home a rebound for the first of his two scores. The second came in the second half when he converted a seventy-five minute penalty after he had been fouled in the area.

Matters got even worse for Athletic when James Perry turned the ball into his own net.

With the Robins three up at the break, the second half was not as exciting, but the Knowle were always in control without extending themselves.

For a match that had very few nasty challenges, six yellow cards seemed strange, seven if you include the one that sent Athletic’s Evans to the Sin Bin. Nathan Corry was sent off with thirty minutes to go for a second yellow card.

Throughout the game there were incidents of ill-discipline. The Robin’s Joint Manager, Matthew Seeley was shown a red card for pushing an opponent after he himself had been pushed by the player. He left the ground and after the game was over, returned collect his kit from the dressing room. It was reported to me that a member of the crowd accosted him. There were some ugly scenes, although order was quickly restored.

These events rather overshadowed The Robins wonderful victory. Yet when the dust has settled, it is another three points.

Knowle FC: Johnson; Taylor (Jones); Staley; Clarke; Shaw; Bennett; Corry; Scott; Craine [24:75p] (McArdle); G Seeley (O’Donnell); Mullen [13] (Bourn).