Coleshill Town 1 v 1 Northfield Town

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 11th December 1976
Midland Combination Division One
Coleshill Town 1 v 1 Northfield Town
Scorers:
Coleshill: Malcolm Phelps.
Northfield: Gittens pen.


Team: Peter King GK, Chris Dight, Mark Gardner, Colin Holder, Paul Garnell, John Newey, ? Brayson, Barrie Canning, Malcolm Phelps, Eddie Hanlon, John Allcock. Sub Adrian Beard.



COLESHILL CHRONICLE WROTE
Coleshill Drop Point
Coleshill Town had to work hard to gain a point from a Midland Combination First Division fixture they really should have won on Saturday. The game opened with both sets of players making mistakes on a surface more akin to chance than skill. In the first half both sides made hard work of creating scoring chances with Northfield coming the closest when a shot from Whilde hit post and side netting. Northfield opened the half with two strong attacks down the left when Gittens shot wide from well out, and a run into the box by Niblet was cleared hurriedly by Newey. In the space of the next three minutes Northfield keeper Rotheroe had to take crosses from Allcock, the first when the number eleven rounded the full back and hit a hard low cross and then after being sent on a good run after a good ball by Canning. After a forcing run by Northfield's Collins he wasted his opportunity with a weak shot from long range. After about 15 minutes John Newey came forward on a searching run and finding Allcock in space, the winger touched the ball on for Phelps to shoot just wide of the mark. Johnny Allcock again created trouble for the Northfield defence on a run this time down the middle of the park, and was obstructed just outside the box, and seconds later after being put through by Canning the ball was forced for a corner. From the corner a misdirected header by Garnell was cleared. A Newey free kick from midfield was headed goalward by Phelps but again forced away for a corner, then a John Newey header under the bar was scrambled away by a confused Northfield defence. Northfield's goal chances at this point in the match was contained in two speculative shots from 40 yards out. Coleshill's next raid was due to a great overhead kick by Allcock, but the young Canning could not quite reach the ball justin front of goal. Coleshill came back when a Holder cross was palmed out by keeper Rotheroe, but Brayson required too much time to control the ball and wasted the opportunity. Northfield's Niblet chipped the ball out to Castleford and with the Town defence out of position Mark Gardner was more than satisfied to give away a corner. From the corner Garnell's header created a chance for Stanton who shot across the face of goal. Just before half time Town keeper King was pelalised for stepping out of his 18 yard box when making a clearance, but he made up for his mistake when he held a fierce low shot from a free kick. In the first twenty minutes of the second half Coleshill had the bit beween their teeth, and other than a couple of crosses King in the Town goal was a spectator. In the early minutes of the half Coleshill went close with chances from Phelps and Allcock. To highlight their eagerness to attack, central defender Garnell was caught off-side in the visitors goal area. Newey also showed his determination, winning the ball after being tackled three times in in as many yards and releasing full back Dight on a forward run to hit a long shot easily handled by Rotheroe. After Hanlon had been fouled outside the box on the right, Holder stepped up to take the free-kick, and a bender round the wall slipped just past the left hand post, A cross by Canning was pushed from under the bar by Rotheroe for a corner. From the corner Phelps beat the keeper in the air and a Garnell header was on target but he had pushed his way into position and a foul was given. Dight, the Coleshill full back, hit yet another long shot and with "goal" written all over it, it was deflected for yet another corner. Phelps won the ball from the cross and Brayson, again taking too much time while trying for a clear-cut chance, shot over. Two more efforts from Town went very close. Holder shot past yet again from a free-kick, and seconds later Allcock shot across the face of goal after being put away again by Holder. Coleshill forced three more corners in quick succession, but on none of these occasions could they find the net, and after almost continual pressure still had nothing to show from all the effort which had been shown, once again highlighting their inability to turn endeavour into goals, which must be causing manager Pat Foley some concern. Northfield started to fight their was back into the match, forcing corners on the left and right, then Newey gave the ball away in front of goal and Whilde shot wildly wide. Garnell was forced to clear hurriedly and then Newey was adjudged to have fouled Niblet with what seemed to be no more than obstruction, but the referee awarded a penalty from which Gittens scored in the 72nd minute. Coleshill continued to push forward with shots from Dight and Canning, and Northfield had their chances of furthering their lead when Niblet shot past, and King held another effort from him. In the 83rd minute Coleshill got their just reward with a third corner within a minute. Holder floated the ball in from the left and Phelps headed home from close range. A long effort from Newey was esily dealt with by Rotheroe and Dight was fouled on yet another storming run up the wing. In the dying minutes of the game Pedley and Hanlon clashed, the impetuous Hanlon swung a fist and was given his marching orders by the referee. The final whistle sounded with Town attacking through substitute Adrian Beard, an 18 year old making his senior debut, another prospect who has previously played for Coleshill's youth squad and now returned to the club.

P12 W2 D3 L7 F15 A24 Pts7 Pos16/18