Coleshill Town 4 v 1 Wolverhampton Casuals - FA Vase

[Alan Beckett]

SATURDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER 2006
F.A. Vase 2nd Round Qualifying
Coleshill Town 4 v 1 Wolverhampton Casuals
Scorers: Josh McPherson 2, Carlos McIntosh, Danny Carter.

"A win is a win" is all manager Mick Beadle would say in his post match interview as he saw his team just do enough to see off poor opposition. Wolverhampton Casuals worked extremely hard to deny Town both time and space and even got their noses in front with an effort that looked clearly off side but this was another stuttering performance with a final score line that flattered the home team.

Previous commitments and injuries meant Beadle had to shuffle his squad. David Brush is the biggest miss and his injury looks as though it will keep him out for several weeks. Lee Colvin, Ian Bluck, Rob Hipkiss, Steve Lees and Shaun Kidson were all missing. James Dance, Carl Smith and Rob Ellis all started after being on the bench for last week's win over Cadbury Athletic.

Wolverhampton are struggling in the West Midlands Premier league with only one win so far this season but they are on the same level in the non-league pyramid system as Coleshill and as such should have been more of a test to a Town team who haven't slipped into top gear yet. The visitors relied on a massive kick from their keeper to a big target man and it was that combination that led to the opening goal on ten minutes. The whole back line stopped as No9 appeared to be well off side but he kept going to lob the ball over the advancing Greg Allen and into the net. Coleshill got sucked in with the long ball stuff but finally got the ball down to play and Carlos McIntosh rounded the keeper but had his shot cleared off the line. Allen was again sharp off his line but was beaten to the ball and was grateful to see Alan Wright clear the danger. It wasn't pretty but Coleshill were enjoying all the possession and the only threat the other way was still the high ball. On 23mins Coleshill finally got back into the game as Man Of The Match Josh McPherson met a James Dance cross with a firm header into the net. On 32mins Town took a deserved lead as a Raddi Richards shot was blocked but the forward rolled the ball into the path of Carlos McIntosh who stroked into an empty net. Kevin Wagstaff set up James Dance and the keeper did well to palm a rasping shot behind for a corner. Casuals did have a chance to level just before the break but a header from a corner went just wide. On the stroke of half time Rob Ellis crossed for McPherson to powerfully head goalward but his effort hit the bar bounced down on the line and was cleared.

Not much happened in the second half as Coleshill took their foot off the gas and Casuals caused a few nervous moments but a purple patch from Wagstaff finally brought the comfort of the third goal. First the winger shot just wide of the near post then he brought out a fine save from the impressive visitors keeper and then on 70mins, from a free kick, he delivered the perfect cross for McPherson to head in for a 3-1 lead. Two minutes later James Dance ran direct at the heart of the Wolverhampton defence and again made the keeper work with a smart shot. The stoppers block fell nicely to Danny Carter who had time to pick his spot into the corner of the net. Carter had an ideal opportunity to increase the lead with the goal at his mercy but the ball got tangled in his feet and his scuffed shot rolled into the keepers arms. The final bit of action was the sad sight of Chris Davies, in his first game since returning from America, limping off with an ankle injury and as Beadle had made his three substitutions, Coleshill finished the game with ten men.

Team:- Greg Allen, Rob Ellis, Alan Wright, Ryan Gardiner, Des Wilkes, James Dance, Josh McPherson, Carl Smith (Chris Davies), Raddi Richards (Simon Volante), Carlos McIntosh (Danny Carter), Kevin Wagstaff. Subs not used Dan Greaves, Lee Bloxam.