Match: League Match 5 – Redditch United 2 vs 4 Coleshill United

Date: Sunday 7th October 2007

Report: (By Darran Ward)

After several weeks travelling to away games following the first fixture of the new season it was good to be back on home turf and in familiar surroundings. Coleshill came to The Rover S&S with a full points tally from their opening league games, scoring twice as many goals as they had conceded thus far. The boys also welcomed back an old team mate in James, now playing up front for the visitors. The lads also welcomed back Nigel from the league to referee. Early attacks from the Reds showed promise, some great balls played out of midfield to the wide attacking players Dan and Charlie. A corner was won and floated in beautifully by Brad, but just evading the strikers after cutting out the defenders. At the other end the back line of Ben, Huddy, Sam and George were all performing well with some tremendous jockeying and tackles. However, it was the away team who opened the scoring, 0 vs1 to Coleshill. Further midfield battles followed with neither team gaining the upper hand until Nick burst down the left channel, he was pushed wide and had to ride several strong tackles, the referee playing advantage rather than awarding the foul, Nick’s courage kept him on the ball and eventually he forced a corner. Brad floated another lovely corner in which was met by Sam’s header at the near post, the keeper parried and the 2nd ball was met by Sam, looping a deft shot over the despairing goalie to the far post levelling the score at 1 vs 1. Within minutes though Coleshill regained their 1 goal advantage after a free kick on the right of midfield was curled to the back post, the ball was half cleared to the edge of the box where the Coleshill attack had time and space to hit a shot past the diving Ross.

Half Time Score: Redditch United 1 vs 2 Coleshill United

The second half got under way, and at this point it was difficult to see which way the game was going to go with both teams playing attractive attacking football. The next goal though was to come from the home team, the back line had quelled Coleshill pressure and had released Max in the centre circle, he turned his marker and was then wrestled off the ball, winning the Reds a free kick. Sam placed the ball and drilled in a diagonal cross at pace to the left of the area, after a couple of crosses from left and right, Nick met the ball neatly to finish and level the score at 2 vs 2. Matt entered the fray and immediately began to win some midfield headers and challenges. Jack moved to right back for Ben who again had covered huge amounts of ground, but was soon to be re introduced on the left wing to replace Charlie whose tireless work had seen him dumped to the ground several times following challenges from the opposition after he was unable to get the ball out from his feet, the latest challenge leaving him a little bruised. A throw in down the left was worked through several players to Nick to have a shot from the edge of the box, skimming the outside of the post. Soon after and Coleshill had a corner after springing the offside, with plenty of Reds defending inside the box, the ball was cleared to the edge, but in a carbon copy of an earlier goal the 2nd ball was not challenged leaving Coleshill time and space to pick a shot, 2 vs 3. With the game in its final few minutes it was the away team who struck the last goal, a Reds goal kick was picked up unchallenged by Coleshill and moved forward quickly, catching the Reds offguard with a rising shot at the edge of the box giving Ross no chance to get any where near it. With the game becoming stretched in the last quarter, with both teams looking for a winner, it had been Coleshill who had slightly edged the play in terms of positional discipline and this therefore allowed them to capitalise and make the break to take all 3 points from this game and as pointed out by several parents watching from the touch line, a game that could have very easily gone either way. A scoreline of 4 vs 2 at senior level is a very different result and reflection of the match to 4 vs 2 at U 11’s and again there were plenty of pleasing points and performances to take away from this match from the boys.

Full Time Score: Redditch United 2 vs 4 Coleshill United

Reds Goals/Scorers: 1st half: Sam - left of area shot over keeper from corner from Brad.

2nd half: Nick - persistency in front of goal from Sam free kick.

Man of the Match: Max – tremendous work rate and attitude throughout the game, worked forwards and back to support the team.

Formation:  4 - 4 - 2

Colours:  Red/White Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks

Substitutes:  MATT