PREVIEW: Sporting Khalsa (A)
Where:
Guardian Warehousing Arena, Noose Lane, Willenhall WV13 3BB
When:
Saturday 11th of January 2024 (3pm KO)
Quorn are back on their travels this weekend, and it’s yet another journey to the West Midlands. It’s been a happy hunting ground for the Reds so far this season, and they’ll need that to continue as they look to bounce back from the disappointment of a first league defeat.
Quorn’s Form:
The Reds finally tasted defeat in the league at the weekend, losing 3-2 at home to Long Eaton United. Whilst the form at The Stotto Stadium has been sketchy of late (one win in four), Quorn’s away form has been stellar, winning 12 in a row since drawing their first trip of the season.
Sporting Khalsa’s Form:
Khalsa had won three in a row before a midweek draw at Hinckley LR on Tuesday, and they’re unbeaten in five since snapping a four-game losing streak. All four of those losses came at home, with the Lions managing just three goals. Khalsa haven’t beaten a Leicestershire side in the league yet this season, managing just two draws against Shepshed and Hinckley LR, whilst losing four. However, they did knock step three sides Harborough Town and Barwell out of the FA Trophy.
One to Watch:
Simeon Cobourne (18 goals in 30 appearances) remains Khalsa’s main goalscoring threat, but he’s been joined by Andre Landell (13 goals in 23 appearances). Cobourne has scored five goals, and Landell six, in Khalsa’s current five match unbeaten run.
Last Time:
Quorn survived a late scare when Khalsa visited The Stotto Stadium in mid-November. Courey Grantham scored the only goal of the game and Jasper Tetlow cleared a shot off the line in final seconds as The Reds escaped a close one.
With both teams starting the night inside the top four, the crowd looked sure to be treated to quality match, and so it transpired. Cain Noble had the first opportunity within the opening 60 seconds, but his sight of goal was quickly closed down with a defender blocking his effort.
Ryan Beswick, who was celebrating his birthday, also had a shot well blocked in the 6th minute as Khalsa loaded the box under the early Quorn pressure. Noble had another effort in the 14th minute, his angled shot clipped the outside of the post and sailed harmlessly wide.
After holding the Reds for 25 minutes, Khalsa grew in confidence and began to show their attacking flair. Just before the half hour mark Jayden Campbell crashed an effort from the edge of the box off the underside of the crossbar where it was cleared to safety.
The Reds responded with a couple of chances of their own as an effort was cleared off the line and Grantham brought a solid save out of Brandon Ganley. The two were in the thick of the action again mere moments later, but the forward got the better of the keeper this time as Grantham contorted his body to get a foot on the ball and lob the onrushing Ganley.
It was almost 2-0 a few minutes later as Zak Goodson gathered a deep pass and drove on goal. Once again Ganley pulled off a superb save, keeping his side in the match. The sides headed in at the break, with neither side sure how it was 1-0 as both teams created enough to have scored at least a couple of goals on another day.
Grantham and Jack Samples had efforts in the second half, but neither could find the target on shots from outside the area. The game continued at a frantic pace as two top sides went in search of goals and three vital points. Campbell had another effort come back off the frame of the goal with just twenty minutes to play, this time hitting the inside of the post, only for his effort to bounce to safety for the hosts.
As the game headed towards full time there were late chances for either side, Quorn almost scoring as a close range shot was well saved by Ganley, with the rebound off his body hitting a retreating defender. The loose ball could have gone anywhere, but dropped kindly into the path of the keeper as he was gathering himself from the initial save.
The final chance came in the final minute of stoppage time, with almost the final kick of the game. Simeon Cobourne came off the bench late and caused problems for the Quorn backline, never more so than in the final minute when he lobbed Tom Allsopp. Everyone inside the ground thought the ball was going into the back of the net, but it hit the base of the lefthand post and, as it rolled along the goal-line, Tetlow slid in and cleared as The Methodists’ faithful breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Tickets:
Adults £8.00, Concessions £5.00, Under 18s £2.00
Travel:
Head out of Loughborough on the A512 towards Shepshed. Continue along the A512 all the way up to the outskirts of Ashby-de-la Zouch, taking the second exit at the big island, onto the A42 south. Remain on the A42 as it becomes the M42 and continue southbound to the M6.
Join the M6 North and remain on it until junction 10, taking the A454 towards Wolverhampton. After 1.5 miles branch left, then at Keyway Island take the 2nd exit onto A454. Go through one roundabout and then at traffic lights make a U turn at Neachells Lane, turn left into Noose Lane. Go over the first island, continuing on Noose Lane. The ground is located on the left-hand side with the car park at the front.