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30 September 2006

Town off to a winning start

Barton 1 Coalville Town 3

DTZ East Midlands Premier Division

Coalville Town made a winning start to the new DTZ East Midlands Premier Division season with a well-earned 3-1 win at Barton.

Town started the match brightly, although it took them a little while to adjust to the new-look formation that the team are adopting this season. As a result some passes went astray as Coalville took a little while to adapt.

Barton were newly-promoted to the East Midlands Premier Division after winning Division One last season, so their confidence was high, and they did show some good touches.

There were few chances for either side although Ryan Mason had a shot at goal that went wide. However, it was Barton who were to strike first blood. From a penalty corner, Joel Barker in the Coalville goal saved the initial effort, but Town then couldn't clear the ball away and a Barton player nipped in to prod the ball home.

But Town were now beginning to move through the gears and began to apply pressure on the Barton defence. A neat interchange between Brian Robinson and Chris Vernon saw Mark Newman go close to levelling, before Vernon did find the goal to level the scores.

Coalville now had the upper hand, and went in search of a second to put them in front at the interval. And a second goal did come shortly before the break, when Adam Barnett's cross was turned home by Mark Newman to give Town a 2-1 half-time lead.

The second half was still a midfield battle, but it was Coalville who were showing more cutting edge. The Town defensive trio of Matt McRobbie, Stuart Jobburn and Andy Newman mopped up most of what Barton had to offer, enabling Town to press most of the play into Barton's half.

The pressure soon began to tell when a foul in the dee resulted in the award of a penalty stroke for Town. Ryan Mason stepped up but saw his effort saved by the Barton keeper.

But the second half was very much the Mason story, and the 16 year old striker soon attoned for his penalty miss by grabbing the third, decisive Town goal. James Woodard won the ball in the middle of the park and set Robinson away down the left. His pass gave Mason a striking opportunity and the Town forward slipped the ball past the keeper and into the goal to seal a good win.

Saturday's clash against county rivals Leicester Thursday at King Edward VII College  will provide another stern test of Town's promotion hopes this season.