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11 November 2006

Seven-up Town Soar past Valley

Coalville Town 7 Soar Valley 1

DTZ East Midlands Premier Division

DTZ East Midlands Premier Division basement boys Soar Valley were no match for Coalville in this match, as Town picked up their first win since the opening day in some style.

Coalville started this Leicestershire derby strongly, dominating from the opening push back to pin pointless Valley back in their half, with the visitors at King Edward VII College being forced to resort to occasional counter attacks, which Gareth Gamble, Andy Newman and Mick Clarke mopped up with ease.

Ryan Mason, Adam Barnett and Chris Vernon all went close to opening the scoring. It took until just past the 10 minute mark for Coalville to open the scoring. A penalty corner was played out to Vernon, who switched it left to Mason. The 17-year-old rounded a defender before dispatching a reverse stick shot into the far corner.

Coalville now had the momentum, and a second goal quickly followed. Mike Browbank rampaged forward down the right flank and crossed the ball into the area where Jim Lamb flew in to direct it home at the far post.

Soar Valley came under further pressure after this, and a string of penalty corners for Town eventually made it 3-0. The ball was again switched left to Mason who this time crossed to the far post for Barnett to turn home.

The Soar Valley keeper soon made a couple of good saves to deny Vernon and Mason further goals, but Coalville weren't to be denied a fourth before the interval. Vernon fired the ball into a crowded dee, and it bobbled out to the edge of the area where Mark Newman latched onto it and fired a low shot past the keeper into the goal.

Coalville were a little slow to get going in the second half, and that allowed Soar Valley to come more into the game early on. But Coalville keeper Paul Marston was still a virtual spectator as the visitors offered very little going forward, with only the dribbling of their central midfield causing any concern.

It took until around 10 minutes into the second half for Coalville to extend their lead. Vernon latched onto the ball and drove forward into the area before blasting the ball towards goal. The Soar Valley keeper managed to get something onto it, but couldn't prevent it from entering the goal.

Coalville were now on another burst, and made it 6-0 shortly afterwards. The ball was played into Barnett as Town broke forward, and the Coalville player offloaded to Mason. Mason took the ball around a defender before again blasting home a reverse stick shot for his seventh league goal of the season.

With around 10 minutes to go Coalville added a seventh goal. A penalty corner was played out to Vernon who smashed home low past the Soar Valley keeper.

Town could have added many more, but were wasteful in front of goal. It looked as though Coalville were on for their first clean sheet of the season, but with three minutes left, Lamb was dispossessed on the edge of the area and the ball was played into the area. A Soar Valley player managed to get a stick on the ball to lift it towards the far post where another player was on hand to turn home - much to Gamble's disgust!

This win gets Town back to winning ways and is enough to see them climb out of the relegation places. But Saturday's game at local rivals Loughborough Town now takes on real significance, as Loughborough lie one point and one place below Coalville - it really is a must win for both sides.