Pearls from Pearson ruins Corinthians in season opener
Lutterworth Town – 3
M Pearson 19’ 29’ J Wilson p 25’
Rothwell Corinthians – 2
M Rzeszutek 57’ Z Allen 88’
29th July 2022
The United Counties League Groundhop 2022 got off to an exciting start on the Friday evening, the game itself was late kicking off, then a replacement official had to be found, once that all calmed down the crowd were then witness to Lutterworth Town racing into a three goal lead inside the opening half an hour, however Rothwell Corinthians almost pulled off the most unlikely of comebacks as they valiantly fought back with two goals, the second of which was a little too late to affect the outcome. However, missed chances and handball decisions meant that the visitors could have won the game, let alone rescue a point in front of a healthy crowd that saw over three hundred file into Kong Park for the season opener and they were not disappointed with the fare on offer, both on and off the pitch!
Delayed by fifteen minutes due to the Groundhoppers coach breaking down en route, the game was then further disrupted just a quarter of an hour in when one of the assistant referees was taken unwell and had to be replaced, fortunately a suitable replacement was found amongst the crowd; the deadlock broken moments after the restart as Mwanyongo Pearson executed a great free kick around the wall and over Corinthians keeper Jude O’Connor. The lead was soon doubled as a foul inside the area presented Jordan Wilson the opportunity to open his account for the season, making no mistake he buried into the bottom corner from twelve yards out, but Rothwell almost struck back straight from the restart when Caz Allen hit the post, but just before the half hour the hosts seemingly put the game to bed when Pearson bagged his second with a rocket from twenty-five yards out that flashed over the keeper and under the crossbar.
Despite the scoreline the visitors didn’t give up and were unlucky not to pull a goal back before the interval as Town shot stopper Warren Butlin made two good saves at his near post, the first from a Jurelle Philip shot closely followed by a Conor Bird header, but just before the hour mark they did reduce the deficit when Cavan King headed a deep cross at the back post down into the path of substitute Marcel Rzeszutek who fired in to the far bottom corner. From there Corinthians really lifted their game and looked a threat everytime they ventured forward, Kyle Locklin was booked for using his hand to put the ball past Butlin, another Philip goal was then denied also for handball in the build-up, then with a couple of minutes remaining Allen did pull another back as he calmly stroked home from just inside the eighteen-yard line. F/T: 3-2
Attendance: 320
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