Goals from Ryan Seal and Ryan Evans ensure three points for Quorn against Shawbury United
TOTAL MOTION MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE QUORN 2 SHAWBURY UNITED 1
QUORN made just one change from last week, Daniel Brenan served his one match ban following his sending off in the League Cup, Under 18s Captain Billy Howard made his first full start and Isaac Cooper made his home debut in an otherwise unchanged line-up.
After the opening exchanges that fizzled out before danger threatened, Quorn settled and took the lead in the seventh minute.
Javia Roberts found Sean Williams with his quick throw and the forward rode the challenge well before slipping a perfect ball back to skipper Ryan Seal who fired home from 15 yards. The visitors responded and only a last-ditch tackle from Nathan Dale prevented a swift reply. Quorn then gave away a couple of free-kicks in dangerous areas, but the visitors set piece deliver lacked the quality to cause the home side problems.
Williams headed wide from Cooper’s delivery before play switched to the other end when Dale made another superb intervention to snuff out the danger as the visitors countered swiftly. Williams cross caused concern for the visitors as Quorn upped the pace but another free kick at the other end saw the visitors threaten but Marc Stallard couldn’t keep his header down and it sailed harmlessly out of play for a goal-kick. Williams won a free-kick at the other end and a superbly struck effort from Cooper was palmed away by Ian Havard in the visitors goal.
Bradley Maslen-Jones picked out Dom Brannan with a fine ball, the striker held it well before laying off to Seal, but the skipper’s effort was comfortably gathered by Havard. Seal then brought a splendid save from the keeper after good work by Cooper.
Quorn then found themselves under pressure as the half drew to a close and only had themselves to blame after a number of sloppy passes conceded possession all too easily. Just before the whistle, good work again by Cooper gave Roberts a shooting chance but his effort was blocked.
The second half began with the visitors showing a bit more determination and play became scrappy for a while. With just under 25 minutes to go, Quorn upped their game and after a couple of efforts that weren’t far away, they doubled their lead.
Both substitutes were involved, George Bowerman played a superb ball into the path of Ryan Evans, who calmly stroked the ball past Cooper from 12 yards.
Quorn conceded possession on the right, but the cross was too deep and eventually put behind for a corner that saw the visitors go close with a header that flashed past the near post. With eight minutes remaining the visitors got back in the game, and it was another substitute who was involved, there didn’t appear to be any danger when Josh Taylor received the ball five yards out but the number 16 advanced and curled a shot into the far corner to leave Haydn Whitcombe stranded.
Quorn were again guilty of surrendering possession far too easily and handed the visitors the initiative in the latter stages, but the home defence held firm, the visitors appealed in vain for a penalty late on when a shot was blocked but the referee gave a corner which came to nothing and Quorn played out time for the three points.