Coleshill Town 2 v 0 Astwood Bank Rovers

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 27th November 1971
Midland Combination Division Two
Coleshill Town 2 v 0 Astwood Bank Rovers
Scorers: Roy Phelps, Phil Dunn.


Team: John Comley GK, Paul Hannon, Les Owen, Geoff Statham, Oscar Deeming, Clive Lyons, Roy Phelps, John Bown, Dave Wheeler, Phil Dunn, Scott Coleman.


CASTLE BROMWICH NEWS WROTE
Improved Town Good Value For Points
Coleshill showed great improvement in collecting two valuable points. They were the better side and, once they had scored, never looked like losing this game. They kept themselves in the championship race for the Midland Combination Second Division title, in sound, rather than spectacular fashion. Coleshill were forced into late changes, Dunn and Wheeler coming into the side in place of Garnell and Masters. The opening stages were confined to midfield, with neither side showing much imagination or penetration. Astwood Bank’s defence slowly came under pressure, but they looked quite composed, while their front runners were easily held by Town’s rearguard. Scott Coleman had a fine game on the left flank. From one of several good crosses he floated over, Phelps had bad luck when he lost balance and Ingram saved. The ball was soon turned back into the Aswood area and Dunn miss-hit a shot. Deeming went close to scoring when, collecting a return pass from Coleman, he hit a high, curling shot which completely deceived Ingram and struck the bar. At the other end, Comley had very little to do. He was lucky, however, when he kicked straight to Hawkins whose first time shot from 20 yards flew wide. The first 45 minutes only served to show Coleshill’s old failings: an attack which lacked thrust and power, while the defensive and midfield work was sound. Astwood Bank were playing in a similar vein, and neither side looked like breaking the deadlock. Coleshill came out with more confidence after the interval and soon went ahead. Deeming sent Coleman away down the left, he danced round Morris and sent over a perfect cross which both Dunn and Ingram missed, and Phelps was on hand to walk the ball into the net. Town were unlucky not to increase their lead when Coleman raced away and slotted the ball past Ingram only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. This inspired Coleshill to greater efforts and Wheeler started to buzz on the right wing. Time and again he beat Morris with ease and consequently had to take a lot of punishment from anxious Bank defenders. Coleman again put Astwood in a panic when Ingram failed to hold his powerful, swerving shot, but there was no-one near to tap home the rebound. The goal had to come and it was Wheeler who set it up. He centred after a good run and Dunn had only to touch his low cross into the net to settle the issue. Astwood Bank hit back with a late flurry which produced their only corner of the match, two minutes from time, but the flag kick was easily cleared and that put an end to their resistance. Best for Coleshill was Coleman and Wheeler, while Phelps and Lyons got through a lot of hard work.



P13 W7 D4 L2 F21 A11 Pts18 Pos2/18