Nuneaton Griff 1 v 2 Coleshill Town

First Team Match Reports 2007-2008

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Nuneaton Griff 1 v 2 Coleshill Town

Postby Alan Beckett » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:35 pm

Saturday 29th March 2008
Midland Combination Premier Division
Nuneaton Griff 1 v 2 Coleshill Town
Scorers: Danny Carter, Steve Smith.


This wasn't a classic. It was a horrible game, in horrendous conditions, on a poor pitch, which meant neither team were able to play decent football but the result was all important. Coleshill's record against Griff is nothing short of abissmal. Coleshill know it, Griff know it, but doing something about it has always proved fruitless over the last nine years, so when Steve Smith scored deep, deep into injury time the curse was finally lifted!
It wasn't so much that Coleshill deserved the points, Griff had the better of the first half and Town the second, both with the wind at their backs, but that they, Highgate like, ground out the result, their developing team spirit pulling them through.

Micheal Campbell was preferred up front and Steve Smith in midfield with Danny Carter and Ryan Scott both dropping to the bench in an otherwise unchanged team.

Lee Hunt had a great chance from a James Dance cross but he sent his header straight across goal before Griff took the lead on 8 mins. The wind caught the ball and took it over the head of Kristian Kelsall leaving Dean Ashton with a clear run down the right. His cross appeared to be going beyond it's target of Steve Barrett but the striker nonchalantly stuck out a leg and back heeled the ball over Craig Johnson and into the net. Griff keeper Carl O'Neil made the first of three good saves to push a Matty Robinson effort away for a corner and Michael Campbell had a goal bound effort blocked but chances were limited.

Dance sent a right foot, then left foot shot both wide and Kelsall cleared for a corner a Barrett effort. Campbell got to the ball first with the keeper well out of his box but his punt went wide then Richard Kavanaugh had a fine effort saved at the foot of the post by the home keeper. Manager Carl Adams shuffled the formation desperatley looking for the break through. Kavanaugh slotted into the back four and Neil Kitching pushed forward and was then joined by Danny Carter in a three man attack. It was Carter who finally got the equaliser on 80 mins. The striker saw the keeper off his line and lobbed him from 25 yards although the effort was wind assisted. Given the circumstances, Coleshill would have been happy with the draw but there is a new found belief within the squad that they can now win games they would have previously drawn. Steve Smith thought he'd broke the deadlock with a left foot shot but was again denied by a great save by O'Neil. Well into injury time a long throw in was partially cleared but the ball was worked back into Smith on the six yard line and he slammed the ball into the roof of the net for the winner. Griff tried to hit back in the minutes remaining but it was Carter who came the closest as his strike went right across goal missing the far post by inches.

Team: Craig Johnson, Andy Sutherland, Lee Millard, Neil Kitching, Lee Hunt, James Dance (Danny Carter), Simon Volante, Steve Smith, Michael Campbell (Ryan Scott), Matty Robinson, Kristian Kelsall (Richard Kavanaugh). Subs not used Stuart Adamson, Ashley Robinson.

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