Bartley Green 1 v 2 Coleshill Town

[Alan Beckett]

SATURDAY 11th AUGUST 2007
MIDLAND COMBINATION PREMIER DIVISION
BARTLEY GREEN 1 v 2 COLESHILL TOWN
Scorer: Michael Campbell 2.

Coleshill started the 2007/08 season with a visit to newly promoted and current Division 1 Champions Bartley Green, who currently play at Tividale. This was my first visit to Tividale and I was impressed with the facilities at the West Midlands Premier club, and the pitch, despite a slope across the field, looked a picture in the bright and hot sunshine.

Coleshill had had an impressive pre-season but picked up several injuries in the last week. Ian Bluck and Simon Volante, two very influential players, were ruled out. Rob Hipkiss and Michael Campbell were carrying injuries, Ryan Gardiner is away on holiday and Anthony McManus had been unable to train all week with a cold.

Bartley Green had obviously strengthened over the summer as they matched Coleshill for work rate and carved out several clear cut chances but luckily left their shooting boots in Div 1 as they rarely tested Town keeper Greg Allen.

Both sides started brightly as you would expect on the opening day but players had to take on fluids at every opportunity on possibly the hottest day of the year. Green were the first to show when No11 went clear but with only Allen to beat he dragged his shot well wide. Danny Carter, who had looked really lively in pre-season laid the ball back to James Dance who sent a swerving shot against the bar. A fine cross field ball from Sam Chatwin found Michael Campbell free but his effort was well saved by the Man of the Match, the Bartley Green keeper, and in the next move the stopper did even better when he twice denied James Dance. Dance was causing all sorts of problems for the home defence as he switched from left to right wing and back again. He set up Carter whose goal bound effort was blocked. Green broke from their own box but again shot wide when well placed, and then No7 lifted the ball over the advancing Allen but over the bar as well.

The home side had the early chances in the second half with a header from a corner going over the bar, an attempted lob from 45 yards as Allen came way out of his goal to clear and Ray Scandrett coming to the rescue when a mazy run nearly opened up the Coleshill defence. But Town started to make their power play count with Raddy Richards forcing his way into the danger area before passing to Carter who shot powerfully, the ball coming off the keeper into the air and desperately cleared off the line. The same two combined and again Carter’s shot was cleared off the line as the keeper just took the pace off the ball. Coleshill did have the ball in the net when Campbell challenged the keeper Shay Morgan whipped the dropped ball home but the linesman flagged for a foul much to the annoyance of Campbell who was booked for his protest. But the robust centre forward got the reward for his hard work as he chased a David Brush chip, held off his marker and shot across the keeper and into the net for the lead on 75 minutes. Campbell had had a real tussle with Green centre back Darren Field and as he left the defender standing to score his and Coleshill’s second with a fine solo effort on 85 minutes, he showed great delight in confirming who had come out on top. Carter deserved a goal but the nearest he came was hitting the side netting before Bartley showed real spirit to fight back in the dying minutes and Myron Semper forced the ball home from within a crowded box.

Team:- Greg Allen, Sam Chatwin, Rob Hipkiss, Ray Scandrett (Des Wilkes), James Dance (Kevin Wagstaff), Raddi Richards, Josh McPherson, David Brush, Michael Campbell , Danny Carter, Oluwaseyi Morgan (Neil Kitching). Subs not Used Kristian Kelsall, Craig Jones.