Coleshill Town 2 v 1 Loughborough Students

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 10th August 2024/25
Northern Premier League Midland Division
Coleshill Town 2 v 1 Loughborough Students
Scorers:
Coleshill: Josh Hesson, Ben Billingham pen.
Loughborough: Joshua Strouts pen.
Attendance: 121.
Supporters Club Man Of The Match: Dan Brookes.


Teams:
Coleshill: Ben Newey, Dan Brookes, Gianluca Bucci, Sam Tye (Ben Billingham), Taylor Carter-Byrne, Sam Fitzgerald (Alex Tomkinson), Nathan Kabeya (Niall Rowe), Ben Usher-Shipway (Freddie Cockerell), Joe Palmer (Maxwell Ngbeken), Josh Hesson, Demico Burton, All Subs Used.


Loughborough: Charlie Callaghan, Alexander Spiteri (Thomas Butler), Joseph Fountain, Samuel Fielding, Jonty Bouch, James Cook, Joshua Strouts, Halim Bangura (Max Prickett Reed), Felipe Morales Moya, Joshua Brodella (Joseph Akinsamni), Max McCoy (Freddie Webb). Sub not used; Steven Bessent.


MATCH REPORT

First League match for the new management team. An excellent pre-season, eight games, eight wins, a win in the FA Cup, all be it after a replay, but now down to businness with the visit of Loughborough Students. Coleshill have played the Students a few times previously at a lower level but the visitors gained promotion last year to compete at Level Four for the first time. It's probably the best time to take on this team. They are the best sporting college in the country, they are young, fit and well coached but I doubt they have had a decent pre-season as the university year hasn't begun yet. They will get better as the year goes on.
There was little between the two teams in the first half. Both teams looked organised, both teams defended well, but there was little goalmouth action. Taylor Byrne headed over from a corner, Cook for the visitors headed wide from a corner. Josh Hesson had a shot blocked and Ben Usher-Shipway shot just wide and Strouts did the same at the other end but that just about summed up the action.

One change for the Colemen as Sam Fitzgerald was replaced by Alex Tomkinson. The second half started a bit more lively but it was the visitors that got their heads in front from the penalty spot, the Referee pointing to the spot for a very soft and contested decision. Strouts put the ball away in the 53rd minute. The home to team were aggrieved at the decision so decided to do something about it and upped their game. Gianluca Bucci had a shot cleared off the line, Josh Hesson shot wide but on the hour mark Coleshill levelled through another Josh Hesson effort. Coleshill were all over the Students like a rash now and it was no surprise that they took the lead on 65 minutes. Coleshill were awarded their own penalty and Ben Billingham, only just coming on as a substitute, put the ball away. Billingham almost increased the lead with a shot over the bar, but the Students did well to recover and Coleshill settled for a 2-1 win on the opening day of the season.
The going gets tough from now on as Coleshill travel to Racing Club Warwick on Tuesday, FA Cup away to Brocton Saturday and the visit of Long Eaton United on the Monday evening.