Coleshill Town 1 v 1 Gresley Rovers

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 16th March 2024
Northern Premier League Midland Division
Coleshill Town 1 v 1 Gresley Rovers
Scorers:
Town: James Spruce.
Rovers: Richard Hanslow pen.
Attendance: 235.


Teams:
Town: James Behan, Ben McGuiness, James Bowen, Alex Tomkinson, Kane Auld, Niall Rowe, Ewan Edwards, James Spruce (Gio Dainty), Jonathan Letford (Kobe Hall), George Washbourne, Elliot Ball (Ryan Snape). Subs not used: Sam Fitzgerald, Brett Lloyd.


Rovers: Louie Turner, Harley Kozluk, Joshua Egginton, James Matthews (Dylan Hunniford), Marc Strzyzewski (Nathan Banton), Johnathan Guy, Charlie Knowles, Connor Pace, Richard Hanslow, Jack Ekins-Tyson, Kieran O’Connell (John King). Sub not used: Omreiki Myles.

MATCH REPORT
Taken from Gresley web site
Points Shared At Coleshill

After a break of four weeks caused by the awful wet weather the country has had to endure Rovers travelled to Coleshill and played out a hard-earned draw.

Neither side could afford to lose this game with Rovers desperate to gain points as they sit precariously at the bottom of the league and Town not that far ahead their visitors.

Rovers fielded two new faces Harley Kozluck and James Matthews, and both fitted into the side seamlessly performing well on their debuts.

Town started well with former Moatman Jonathan Letford forcing an early save from Rovers’ keeper Louie Turner. Turner was needed again on 17 minutes tipping a shot from distance over the bar.

The Rovers’ keeper made an even better save when on 18 minutes Town were awarded a penalty when Letford was apparently brought down in the area, but Turner chose the right decision diving to keep out George Washbourne’s spot kick.

Rovers’ first chance of the game came to Kieran O’Connell, just outside the area, could only fire his shot well over the bar.

The game became scrappy with the referee blowing for the slightest of touches on the Town players who seemed to go down very easily. The constant stop-start of the game led to both sides becoming frustrated and both sides having players shown the yellow cards as the first half came to an end.

The second half began where the first had ended with constant free kicks punctuating the action but on 64 minutes Town had the chance to take the lead when the unmarked Ben Maginness headed a corner over the bar when well placed.

However, they didn’t miss their next chance a few minutes later. Rovers lost possession just inside their own half and the ball was launched high and long up field. Another former Rovers’ player James Spruce raced after the ball and was fortunate to get a touch ahead of the onrushing Turner and was presented with an open goal which he couldn’t miss.

To Rovers’ credit they didn’t dwell on their misfortune and pressed forward and it proved successful as Jack Tyson was brought down in the area just a couple of minutes later. Richard Hanslow didn’t hesitate as he took the ball and smashed it hard past Town’s keeper James Behan.

With 14 minutes remaining Rovers had a golden chance to take the lead but John King who had replaced O’Connell, put the ball over the bar from close in. The play went to the other end with Town substitute Kobe Hall hitting the base of the far post as they too went looking for a winner,

Hanslow fired a shot wide in the closing minutes and perhaps a point apiece was the fairest result and with Rushden losing Rovers moved off the bottom of the league and with Rugby also beaten they closed the gap to safety.