Malvern Town Reserves 1 v 0 Coleshill Town

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 3rd October 1970
Midland Combination Division Two
Malvern Town Reserves 1 v 0 Coleshill Town
Scorer: Bartlett.


Team: Peter Garnell GK, Clive Lyons, David Back, Martin Curtis, Roy Phelps, Malcolm Stokes, Steve Ward, Roy Sanders, Colin Davis. Confirmed.


COLESHILL CHRONICLE WROTE
Coleshill Are Findings Things Tough
Coleshill Town are finding things tough this season in the Midland Combination Second Division. On Saturday they lost their second game when they went down to Malvern. It will certainly be a change when Coleshill selectors can field their strongest side, for at Malvern they were still minus the services of the injured Seddon, While Oscar Deeming and Goeff Statham were also absentees. Malvern are always a tough nut to crack on their home ground but Coleshill opened well and looked good enogh to take at least a point until the only goal of the game arrived with 20 minutes from the end to leave them pointless. The early stages found Malvern being prompted by ex-Evesham Town player Bartlett, but no real danger threatened Garnell in the visitors goal and in fact it was Coleshill who hoisted the first danger, Stokes driving a hard shot only inches wide of the home goal. Stokes was proving a real live wire in the visitors quest for an early goal. He was put in possession by Steve Ward and his long looping cross-shot hit the angle of the Malvern woodwork with Hopkins beaten. Coleshill kept up the pressure and it was Stokes again who careered down the right flank to divert the ball to the advancing Sanders who's shot beat Hopkins only to strike his boot and spin away to safety. As in previous weeks Coleshill found themselves doing most of the "spade-work" but failing to get goals and another close shave came Malvern's way when Colin Davis fired a cracking shot passed just outside the upright. Malvern had never really troubled the visitors defenders and never at any time produced the shots volleyed by the visitors who could count themselves unlucky to carry a "blank" half time score sheet. Malvern resumed full of real endeavour but the visitors middle trio, Lyons, Back and Curtis held firm and it was Coleshill who came within an ace of taking the lead, Phelps directed a low cross to find Davis in an awkward position but his acute angled shot completely foxed Hopkins only to move away inches off the post. It was not proving Coleshill's day and with Malvern in full agreement they began to make a more serious part and really began to believe that Coleshill could be beaten, this belief being hammered home in the 70th minute. It followed good efforts by Davis and Stokes when the ball was rushed up-field to the un-marked Bartlett who set himself up to score a fine goal that left Garnell with no possible chance. Coleshill made a last onslaught in an effort to save a point they richly deserved but Dave Back saw his effort bounce away off the cross-bar. Back, Lyons and Stokes were Coleshill's "top-star" performers and must still be wondering what more is required to get them back onto a championship retaining mission.


P11 W4 D5 L2 F17 A10 Pts13 Pos 3/18