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27/28 January 2007

Town slip into relegation zone

Northampton Lions 6 Coalville Town 1

Coalville Town 0 Warwick University 4

DTZ East Midlands Premier Division

Coalville continued their miserable start to 2007  with two more heavy defeats at the weekend against promotion-chasing opponents.

Saturday saw County Drains-sponsored Town make the journey to Northampton to take on fourth-placed Northampton Lions in DTZ East Midlands Premier Division. Despite fielding a side shorn of six regular first teamers, Town started the game brightly and Niki Arnold soon saw shot well saved by the Lions keeper.

Town showed lots of guts and determination, something that was missing the previous weekend at Leicester Thursday, and the reshuffled defence of Steve Partner, Andy Newman and Mick Clarke adapted well.

Coalville nearly fell behind after 10 minutes, but Liam McArthur did superbly to clear an effort off the line. Town continued to have chances of their own, and Brian Robinson soon saw another well saved, while a Mark Newman effort went narrowly wide.

But it was the Coalville goal under greater threat, and Town keeper Paul Marston had to be in good form to keep Northampton at bay, making a couple of good saves from penalty corner efforts and a couple more from open play.

Town went in level at 0-0 at half time and were rightly pleased with their efforts. But Northampton changed things after the break, and five minutes into the second half the home side made the breakthrough with a move down that left that was fired home from close range.

It quickly became 2-0 when a fierce strike flew into Marston's top near corner, but Coalville showed some spirit and got a goal back when Mike Browbank blasted home a penalty corner.

Arnold and Browbank were then both denied by fine saves from the Northampton keeper, and a third goal from the home side, quickly followed by a fourth effectively killed the game.

Town's legs were now beginning to tire, and two more goals followed to leave the final score 6-1, a result that was somewhat harsh on Town. Even more morale-sapping, though, was Boots 7-0 win at bottom of the table Soar Valley, which took them above Town and left Coalville in the relegation zone, along with fellow Leicestershire sides Loughborough Town and Soar Valley.

On Sunday, third-placed Warwick University visited King Edward VII College. Again Coalville fielded a changed side, calling up some players from their high flying second string.

Town again showed admirable commitment, but the quality in front of goal and the crispness of the Students passing was ultimately to prove to be the difference.

Coalville showed signs of their best, but too often looked disjointed - as is to be expected with a number of players who haven't played together for a while.

Town conceded a soft early goal to fall behind inside the opening 10 minutes, but again showed some fight. Phil Sign had a shot well saved by the visiting keeper, while Ryan Mason also went close.

Liam McArthur was again working hard in a defensive midfield role, and the defence of James Woodard, Tony Crowie and Mick Clarke did their best to contain the Students.

Marston was again busy in the Coalville goal, making a number of good saves, but two minutes before half-time was beaten by a fierce strike to the near post after the Town defence had backed off too far to allow a strike on goal.

Coalville fought hard in the second half, but it really wasn't to be their day. The visitors carved Town open again 10 minutes into the second half and despite Marston saving an initial effort, the rebound was slotted home into an open goal.

Browbank then had to clear a penalty corner strike off the line, but Town came back again and the Warwick keeper made two fine saves from efforts by Mason and Sign. Ollie Knight also saw a well hit shot go narrowly wide.

Seven minutes from the end the visitors added a fourth when a forward managed to break free of his marker and cleverly deflect an awkward ball into the Town goal.

Things don't get any easier for Town when top of the table Derwent visit King Edward VII College this Saturday. Coalville badly need to put a spanner in the works on Derwent's promotion push to drag themselves back out of the danger zone.