Sporting Khalsa 5 v 2 Coleshill Town

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 8th August 2015
Midland Football League Premier
Sporting Khalsa 5 v 2 Coleshill Town
Scorers:
Sporting: Ricardo Reid, Brad Lawley, David Meese, Martin Nesbett, Daniel Westwood.
Town: Nathaniel Lewars, Tom Weale
Attendance: 75.

Opposition Player Of The Match: Recardo Reid (Sporting) Tom Weale (Coleshill)

Teams:
Sporting: James Pemberton, Carlo Franco, Lee Wherton, Joe Rogers, Tesfa Robinson, Mike Perks, Recardo Reid, David Meese, Bradley Lawley, Marvin Nisbett, Calum Cooper. Subs Daniel Westwood, Ben Hadley, Jordan Uppal, Simeon Townsend, Scott Stevenson.

Colemen: Paul Hathaway, Leon Weller, Will Worthington, Luke Edwards, Alex Baird, Giovanni Dainty, Mykel Beckley (Demitrius Smikle), James Dance, Nathaniel Lewars (Simeon Cobourne), Tom Weale, Dean Rathbone (Momodul Jara). Subs not used Luke Barlone, Danico Johnson.

SUNDAY MERCURY WROTE
Khalsa Turn It On To make Perfect Start
Sporting Khalsa made the perfect start to life in the Midland Football League, beating last season's runners up Coleshill Town 5-2. But it wasn't plain sailing for the reigning West Midlands League champions who trailed 2-1 at the break before turning on the style in the second half. First half goals from Nathaniel Lewars and Tom Weale gave Coleshill the advantage at the break, Khalsa's effort coming from former Romulus striker Ricardo Reid. But the home side took control in the second period with Brad Lawley, David Meese, Martin Nisbett and sub Daniel Westwood all finding the net.

MATCH REPORT
Oh Dear!!! Coleshill suffered their worst opening day result in 24 years! This wasn't supposed to happen!!!

Following last season's runners up spot and some excellent additions to the squad, including the returning James Dance, hopes were high but Coleshill fell apart in the second half and were well beaten by newly promoted Sporting Khalsa who worked their socks off!

It could have been so different as Town got to the break 2-1 up and it could have been more but when the Colemen lost the impressive Mykel Beckley and then later Nathaniel Lewars, they lost their shape and couldn't cope with the onslaught from the home team.

On a gorgeous sunny day the game started at a frantic pace! It was a surprise to see Mykel Beckley as it was thought he would be missing for a few games due to a hamstring injury, but the forward had by far his best game for Coleshill and ran the home team defence ragged for almost 45 minutes! Beckley could have scored very early on but Joe Rogers saved the day with an excellent tackle. Sporting went close as a long throw was headed on twice to Calum Cooper at the far post but he shot over the bar. Town took the lead on 14 minutes when Beckley skipped down the left flank and his cross was met by Dean Rathbone and home keeper James Pemberton at the same time. The ball ran loose for debutant Nathaniel Lewars who stroked the ball into an empty net. Coleshill went close again from a Rathbone free kick before Sporting levelled somewhat fortuitously on 21 minutes when a shot deflected off Ricardo Reid to leave Town keeper Paul Hathaway stranded. Town were in front again within three minutes when a sustained attack saw Tom Weale power a shot through the keepers hands from 12 yards. A Lee Wherton goal bound free kick was headed out for a corner and Mike Perks shot over the bar when well placed as Sporting looked for a second equaliser but it was the visitors that should have scored again as half time approached. Beckley powered down the left wing again and this time he cut inside and sent a curling shot in that was heading for the far post but was palmed away by Pemberton at full stretch. That, unfortunately, was the last we saw of Beckley and the start of the game change!

Coleshill never came out of the changing room after the break and the home team slowly started to out-work, then out-play the visitors! The warning signs were there as Khalsa went close with a couple of free kicks but they levelled the scores on 52 minutes when a corner was flicked on by Meese and Bradley Lawley was at the far post to head home. Hathaway made a great save from Robinson to deny the home side the lead but they were back again on 63 minutes when Reid rolled the ball into the path of the unmarked Meese who calmly picked his spot. It got worse just six minutes later when the unmarked Marvin Nisbett headed in from a corner. Coleshill almost fought their way back into the game with a powerful shot from Demitrius Smikle but hit effort thundered off the bar and then on 84 minutes the final insult as a harmless back pass was nicked off the toe of Hathaway by Westwood who rolled the ball into an empty net!

On paper Town have a very strong squad but you don't win games on paper and they need to work harder and as a solid unit! It's early days and plenty of time to sort it out but games Tuesday against Bardon Hill and Friday against Ellesmere in the FA Cup make it a very busy first week of the season!

A VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Taken from Sporting Khalsa web site
http://www.sportingkhalsa.com/teams/950 ... 70195.html
Pemberton's save proves pivotal as Khalsa comeback twice to win first MFL game

Three players score on their debuts as Khalsa kick off Midland Football League campaign with impressive win

Sporting Khalsa 5 Coleshill 2
Khalsa’s came from behind twice in their first ever game in the Midland Football League to see off last season’s runners up Coleshill in a pulsating season opener.
Against a side strongly expected to challenge for the title again, Khalsa were forced into a number of key changes with Tim Jackson, Mensah Kinch and last season’s top scorer Craig Bannister all unavailable.
But it was all about the new boys for Khalsa as no fewer than three debutants bagged goals.
Following some tentative but harmless early exchanges, the visitors took the lead on 12 minutes as some dubious interpretation of the offside rule enabled Dean Rathbone to charge down the right wing and cross for Nathaniel Lewars to bundle home.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Mike Perks’s drive shot was intentionally deflected home by Ricardo Reid.
Reid, making his first appearance in Khalsa colours, was a thorn in Coleshill’s side all game, leading the line brilliantly and bringing out the best in the players around him.
Coleshill regained the lead on 25 minutes when poor defending by Khalsa saw them waste several opportunities to clear before Tom Weales was able to drive past James Pemberton to restore the lead.
Just before the interval, what might have been the pivotal moment in the match came when Pemberton saved well from Mykel Bleckley after the striker had done well to create a one-on-one opportunity for himself.
The second half saw Khalsa transformed, producing a sparkling performance with four unanswered goals.
Callum Cooper fired the first warning shot on 52 minutes, driving over from long-range, before Reid’s persistence and energy won Khalsa a corner from which Brad Lawley headed home after a flick-on from Dave Meese.
Tes Robinson – immense at centre half throughout the game – almost put Khalsa ahead three minutes later, his shot brilliantly smothered by Paul Hathaway after good approach play down the left by Cooper.
On 64 minutes, Khalsa took the lead for the first time, Reid once again the architect and setting up debutant Meese to roll the ball home from close range.
Six minutes later Marvin Nisbett doubled the lead with a fine header as Coleshill began to creak under the pressure of Khalsa’s dynamic attacking movements.
Coleshill persisted, however. Joe Rogers produced a great block to deny James Dance on 82 minutes and four minutes later substitute Demetrius Smickle hit a rocket of a shot from the angle, beating Pemberton but bouncing off the angle of post and bar.
With two minutes to go the performance was wrapped up when Daniel Westwood, making his first appearance for Khalsa, harried keeper Hathaway into making a horrific blunder with his feet, giving the ball away and giving the striker the easiest of tasks to tap into an empty net.
Khalsa now travel to face Dunkirk on Tuesday (kick off 7.45pm).