Quarry Bank Celtic 1 v 2 Coleshill Town - Mid Com Presidents Cup

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 12th September 1970
Midland Combination Presidents Cup
Quarry Bank Celtic 1 v 2 Coleshill Town
Scorers:
Bank: Parkes.
Town: Roy Phelps, Malcolm Stokes.


Team: Peter Garnell GK, Keith Midgley, Oscar Deeming, Geoff Statham, Tony Seddon, Clive Lyons, Roy Phelps, Eddie Hanlon, Colin Davis, Malcolm Stokes, Roy Sanders. Confirmed.


COLESHILL CHRONICLE WROTE
President's Cup Triumph For Coleshill
Coleshill Town, who were beaten for the first time this season in the Midland Combination by Solihull last week, returned to their old form on Saturday when they beat Quarry Bank in the first round of the Presidents Cup. Coleshill were strengthened by the return of Stokes, Statham and Vais, and they looked the better side for most of the game. It was the brilliance of the home keeper that prevented Coleshill from taking the lead in the very first minute. Deeming sent Sanders cutting inside to release a fierce drive that Metcalfe saved in great style. Coleshill were in great form and the home defence was being kept at full stretch and in another raid Stokes had sheer bad luck with a shot that moved away to safety off the legs of Metcalfe. Quarry Bank, after surviving Coleshill's menacing start, began to take their own control of the midfield arrangements held in the hands of Oliver and Stanier with the able support of left wing pair, Willets and Slater. It was mainly from this quarter that danger lurked for Coleshill but it was well taken care of by Town's tall "twin" defenders Statham and Seddon who rarely put a foot, or head, wrong. Coleshill were still looking for an opening goal and Phelps went mighty close when he headed Hanlon's cross only inches over the home crossbar with Metcalfe completely beaten. Just on the half hour however, the game swung Quarry Bank's way when they jumped into the lead when outside right Parkes swept a high ball across the Town goalmouth that completely foxed Garnell. The ball wending it's way into the far corner of the net. The goal allowed Quarry Bank to "bolt the door up tight" at the back but just before half time Davis appeared from nowhere to crash a fine drive just wide with Metcalf right off guard. The game resumed with Quarry Bank determined to hold on to their slender advantage and on their small Stevens Park ground their policy looked very sound - Coleshill fighting hard but with very little success. Coleshill kept up their "never say die" spirit and the man barring for success was Metcalfe who throughout gave an inspired display but was lucky to free himself from a penalty kick. To save a certain goal he pulled Stokes down with a superb rugby tackle - the Coleshill appeals however were ignored. With only 10 minutes remaining Coleshill's luck changed when thenetted the equaliser, Hanlon and Davis combined well and their spade work allowed Roy Phelps to slam an unstoppable 18 yard shot into the net. This was the tonic Coleshill needed and from here-on it was one way traffic with the home defence being ambushed at all turns and five minutes from time Coleshill had it nicely sewn up with a Malcolm Stokes goal. His goal came after a barrage of shots had been fired at the home goal and could well prove for the Town, his most valuable goal since joining them. As Coleshill enjoy a "bye" in Round Two they automatically go through to the Quarter Finals.