Coleshill Town 0 v 2 Solihull Borough

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 27th March 1971
Midland Combination Division Two
Coleshill Town 0 v 2 Solihull Borough
Scorers: Nickless, Snowy Coggins.


Team: Peter Garnell GK (John Comley), Keith Midgley, Steve Ward, Tony Seddon, Geoff Statham, Martin Curtis, Roy Sanders, Oscar Deeming, Lyndon Bradley, Roy Phelps, Eddie Hanlon.

COLESHILL CHRONICLE WROTE
Coleshill Slump To Title Chasers
Solihull Borough, chasing the Midland Combination Second Division crown that Coleshill hold, consolidated their position at the top with a win over reigning champions on Saturday. Coleshill were never able to get into their stride against a swift tackling Solihull side who came with the sole idea of taking back both points, and were helped in their efforts by injuries during the game to both Roy Phelps and Tony Seddon, the latter retiring midway in the second half. Phelps injured his right leg early on and needed several spells on the side line before continuing more or less as a passenger, and this really weakened Town’s propects. When Seddon left, Garnell came out of goal when the score was 1-0 and was replaced by John Comley. The game opened at a brisk pace, with Solihull making the first dangerous move which was taken care of by Statham via Deeming, who broke clear to test Tisdell with a good shot. Play had been in progress for 10 minutes when Solihull were provided with a real chance when “Snowy” Coggin rounded Statham, only to lift his short range shot over the bar. It was a free kick from Martin Curtis that forced the visitors to give away a corner but Sanders cross was belted away upfield where a corner was claimed by Solihull from which Floretta slammed the ball over from a good scoring position. Solihull kept the ball moving well and Badger swept up the left wing to crash over a perfect centre that was plucked cleanly out of harms way by Garnell who, only a few hours previously, had helped Birmingham City “A” to defeat Walsall in a Midland Inter-League match. It was then that the injury bug began to bite Coleshill and Phelps came off, on, and off again and when he next appeared he managed to get in a good shot that was well taken by Tisdell. Solihull made themselves another good scoring chance, but this time it was Badger who shot the ball too high and back at the other end, Coleshill hoisted the best effort of the game, Phelps flighted the ball on to Bradley whose first time shot whistled just over the visitors crossbar. Coleshill were showing up well at this stage and Hanlon moved down the left where he sent the ball over to Tony Seddon, whose glancing header went straight into the hands of Tisdell. The first half ended with a blank score-line and resumed full of dash from both sides, with Solihull looking just that little better up front but it was Tisdell who was called upon to save a dangerous situation when diving down to retrieve the ball from the feet of Sanders. Solihull went into the lead after 59 minutes, when a centre was directed onto the head of Nickless, who nodded the ball high over the stranded Garnell. Coleshill’s fortunes were slipped a little lower five minutes later, when Seddon was forced to retire with an ankle injury and this led to Garnell coming from goal to be replaced by John Comley. Coleshill never looked capable of saving the game now and with three minutes left, Solihull made sure of an important brace of points with a goal from “Snowy” Coggins, Badger showed the home defenders a clean pair of heels and his perfect cross saw Comley forced from goal, but seeing the ball travel on course to the head of Coggins who steered it into the vacant net.


P27 W13 D5 L9 F51 A35 Pts31 Pos 4/18