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Town taste defeat

Jaguar Coventry 2 Coalville Town 0

BodyKraft East Midlands Premier Division

Coalville's unbeaten away record came to an end against promotion-chasing Jaguar Coventry.

Despite a decent performance, County Drains-sponsored Coalville found it difficult to break down the home side, and with the league's top scorer, Chris Vernon, on the sideline with a hamstring injury, Coalville lacked the necessary cutting edge.

Coalville played some pleasing hockey at times, with Darren Conway, Gareth Gamble, Adam Barnett and Mick Clarke moving the ball around the back effectively. That gave Brian Robinson and Andy Newman plenty of opportunities for forays down the flanks, but Jaguar kept snuffing out the final pass.

A drag flick penalty corner soon went just wide of the Coalville goal, while Town also had their keeper Paul Marston to thank for a fine triple save - although in truth Jaguar should have put the third effort home.

With less than 10 minutes to the interval, Town conceded possession in a dangerous position and a Jaguar raced away towards goal, squaring it to a team mate who slipped the ball home into an empty goal to make it 1-0.

Coalville won several penalty corners after this, but were guilty of making nothing from them. Mike Browbank brought a good stick save out of the Jaguar keeper, while Ryan Mason continued his goalless run by blazing one shot over the bar.

Town went in at half time a goal down, but were convinced they had enough to get back into the match. The plan was to keep Jaguar at bay for the first 10 minutes and to try and find a way through.

Coalville succeeded in doing this, but only thanks to a fine goalline clearance by Gamble. But after 15 minutes, Jaguar again dispossessed Town in a dangerous position and the ball again found its way into the Coalville goal.

Town pressed further forward in search of a goal that would get them back into the game. Phil Sign soon saw a shot flash just wide, while Liam McArthur also had a shot parried away by the home keeper.

Jaguar still remained a threat on the counter, and a reverse stick shot brought another good stick save out of Marston. Town continued to show pleasing levels of effort, but they couldn't find a way through a tight Jaguar defence, and that meant a first away day defeat of the season.