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Town slump to costly defeat

Boots 5 Coalville Town 1 

Bodykraft East Midlands Premier Division

Coalville slumped to a heavy defeat against old rivals Boots which leaves Town worriedly looking over their shoulder at the prospect of slipping out of the Bodykraft East Midlands Premier Division.

County Drains-sponsored Town travelled to Nottingham knowing that they needed to get something out of this game, as they face top of the table Melton next week and then have the misfortune of having their week off on the last day of the season.

But it soon became apparent that Coalville were going to have another costly off-day. Inside 10 minutes the hosts sliced through the Town defence and won a penalty corner. The ball was played out and flicked towards goal, beating Adam Johnson in the Town goal, but hitting Adam Barnett on the line. That resulted in a penalty stroke which was tucked away - and it was really downhill from there.

Boots soon extended their lead with a scrambled goal, and made it 3-0 when a midfielder burst past the Coalville defence and rounded Johnson to slot home.

Town then went 4-0 down when Boots worked another penalty corner around the dee for a forward to poke home. Coalville really were all at sea, although Ryan Mason was working hard to try and instil some life into his side, and his shot soon forced a save out of the Boots keeper.

Shortly before half-time, Coalville did get what proved to be little more than a consolation on a terrible day. Mason picked the ball just inside his 23 metre area, took the ball around a couple of players before hitting a fierce strike low across the keeper and into the goal to make it 4-1.

At the interval skipper Phil Sign predictably read his side the riot act, but it failed to really do the trick. Coalville created a few more chances, Mason going close with a couple of efforts that flew inches wide of the post and Chris Vernon forcing a good save out of the Boots keeper.

But the Town defence of Glen Marston, Barnett, Liam McArthur and Mike Browbank were still struggling to contain the lively Boots attackers, and midway through the half Boots got a fifth when the ball was again worked around the helpless Johnson and fired into the goal.

All in all a pretty miserable day for Town, and captain Sign's day was completed by a yellow card late on as tempers began to fray. Town now have it all to do, and they simply must go an win at Melton or hope for help from elsewhere - particularly in hoping that the league restructure for next season is kind to Coalville.