COALVILLE TOWN 0 GRESLEY 2: Match Report by THE MOWDOG...

Timid Ravens Grizzled By Gresley

Coalville Town 0 Gresley FC 2

The skippers toss...

A very solid and adventurous performance by Gresley, featuring a splendid midfield effort by Eric Graves, a smart left-back showing by John Guy and an elusive pair of forwards causing mayhem, in Kieran O’Connell and Serge Makofo, combined to stifle a really weak Coalville, who could not test visiting ‘keeper Mats Morch once. Missing skipper Lee Miveld, the Ravens laboured and their defensive trio was constantly worried by the Gresley forwards’ movement, with Paolo Piliero delivering some fine crosses too. In defence, Liam Guest was a rock for the guests but in truth, Ben Saunders was unable to influence the game for Town and Gary Hay was totally anonymous. The late introductions of Jordan Nadat and Jed Davies enlivened the Ravens but it was still Gresley who threatened, with O’Connell a real pain for the firm of Coalville Solicitors, Jenno, McAteer and Kay, and Graves struck an upright too. The tepid and almost hypnotised Ravens saw their hopes of the league title simply waft away in the strong Leicestershire breeze and Gresley’s efforts were deservedly applauded by both sets of supporters.

Saunders and Roome bask in the sunshine...

Saunders directed an early low shot at visiting goalie Morch, who fell like he’d consumed one beer too many to secure the ball then Hay lifted a shot off-balance, off target but it was Gresley who looked the more positive and constructive in the opening stages, a situation Town failed to recover from. O’Connell took a throw-in, received the ball back high, jumped and caught the ball like an Atlanta Hawk basketball centre but was surprisingly not cautioned, then he knocked the ball away, as Coalville prepared to take a throw a few minutes later… Lucky fellow! Indeed there had been several tough challenges already too but the official, familiarly calling players by their first names, which annoyed some spectators, ignored them, until Glyn Cotton tripped the rampaging Guy and was shown a yellow card. Soon, O’Connell, one of the smallest players on the field, playing against three of the best headers of balls in the division, scored with his head. A long left-wing centre was headed back across goal by the influential Graves for O’Connell, alone, to nod in from a few yards. What a shame Graves hadn’t buried that one…

O'Connell is in there somewhere: 0-1...

Ant Carney, who struggled to find space throughout, did manage a leaning-back shot, which of course flew way too high then Gresley’s innovative forward Makofo, whose feet puzzled Coalville throughout, found room on the right but his low centre was hacked to safety by the troubled McAteer. Sean Bowles missed the ensuing corner, with a flailing fist, was involved in a collision and reacted angrily to Gresley’s Guest but hosts should surely not treat guests in that manner? The trouble soon eased, the official took no names and Coalville won a free-kick on half-way, which Cam Stuart, Town’s skipper, launched forward; Saunders challenged, the ball fell into a melee and Morch plunged to claim the ball, landing on an opponent, like he was playing on a bouncy-castle in the local park. He held on, though. Guest appeared to get his head to a fine free-kick from deep and inside-right by Guy but the ball skidded across the goalmouth and Reece Lester tackled the lurking Makofo. Then Piliero caused havoc with a right-side corner, which was eventually headed forwards by Guest and in the resulting chaos, Guy struck the ball, which appeared to bounce off Makofo in front of the confused Bowles.

Sam has a word with 'Mark'...

O’Connell and Makofo again pulled the Coalville defenders apart but Kay recovered to make an important block then when the ball was moved out to Piliero on the right, the winger clipped a shot just over the crossbar. With half-time approaching, Makofo made an incisive run on the left, cut inside from near the byeline and fell under Jenno’s challenge, earning a penalty, which he clipped and lifted slowly into the left side of the net, as Bowles fell the other way. The spot-kick was taken like a badly-filmed TV advert, but this was terribly real! Lester battered into the troublesome O’Connell, Carney’s good work was wrecked by Hay, who simply surrendered possession and Callum Woodward and Makofo became entangled in an unpleasant misunderstanding, for which, remarkably, neither was cautioned. The interval had arrived, Raven spectators expected the immediate introduction of ex-Gresley man Jordan Nadat, to liven up the home offense, but they didn’t get it, as the hosts blundered on for a while after the break.

Makofo has scored his penalty: 0-2...

All we saw at the start of the second period, was a wildly struck Stuart effort from 22 yards out, which drifted, er, 22 yards wide of the right upright. A free-kick by Stuart was just too high for McAteer to get a meaningful touch to at the far post and after Carney was fouled, Gresley’s Sam Grice was cautioned for the words spoken after the incident but from the free-kick, the visitors broke on their right flank. O’Connell, inevitably, was involved but with the fully committed Rob Spencer free in the middle, due to some awful covering back by Coalville, the ball was switched wider to Makofo, who was allowed to carry the ball at an angle towards goal; his flick inside saw McAteer block O’Connell’s jab and the Ravens survived. Graves lifted a shot well over the home crossbar as the guests continued to cause real problems for the Coalville defenders and then Spencer combined with Makofo on the left but drove the ball into the side-netting. Finally, with Coalville still not making a real game of it, Nadat and Jed Davies were introduced to replace the hugely disappointing Hay and the busy Cotton.

Davies and Nadat seemed to affect the game immediately, for they combined neatly to set up Woodward for a 25 yarder, which flew only just wide of the right post. Saunders sauntered to retrieve the ball for Morch, who was in no hurry and had strolled to his post to take a drink instead! The official had words… But still Gresley looked the more incisive, keeping possession too easily and avoiding tackles; McAteer was forced to head a centre over his own goal-frame, but soon Coalville moved the ball better, although Woodward piled into an opponent like he was involved in a game of playground British Bulldog and saw yellow… More neat control by Davies set up a cross but Saunders was unable to get to it, then O’Connell threatened again for Gresley and forced Kay to concede a corner. Davies then laid a pass into Jenno’s path for a 24 yard shot but that was also off-target, some 6 yards wide of the right upright.

More trouble...

Piliero saw an effort deflected for Gresley, following more dribbling by O’Connell and after Makofo lay down hurt, Jenno’s long ball took a touch off Guest for Saunders, inside-right, who attempted a 23 yard chip, which he failed to strike properly and the tame shot curled apologetically across an unmanned goalmouth at an angle of about 45 degrees. Morch kicked the ball out of play to allow medical attention for a colleague but Coalville took a normal throw-in, crossed the ball and Morch was flattened as he punched the centre away. Morch was mad with anger at the Ravens’ tactic and this stirred things up, as men argued, like nobody would offer to buy a round of drinks at the pub. Graves did well to win a right-wing corner for Gresley, which was curled onto skipper Jamie Barrett’s head but the effort rose too high then after Andy Hutchinson replaced the surprisingly ineffective Stuart for the Ravens, Piliero was really well tackled by Jenno, as he prepared to shoot at inside-left.

Carney: well marshalled by Gresley...

Another Piliero corner from the right was dropped by Bowles but the referee reckoned he had been fouled by Guest, which seemed really harsh. A long Morch punt freed Makofo on the left and he took his time, used O’Connell, who wanted to take the ball to a corner-flag but changed his mind and play switched to the right, and Graves. The midfielder passed to Piliero on the flank, who fed O’Connell inside him and he in turn slipped a pass to Graves for an angled drive, which smacked against the right upright. The rebound, left-side, fell for Makofo and his clipped effort curled just beyond the goal-frame, but in all honesty the Coalville defenders had been chasing shadows and really, Gresley should have been out of sight. More fine and slow possession by O’Connell and Makofo set up a Piliero shot, which flew wide, before Zibusiso Nyatito replaced Spencer: thanks for that! It only remained for Coalville’s heads to go down further and for O’Connell to provide Piliero with another attempt at goal, which was wayward, and the action ceased, with Gresley’s players in such ascendancy, one would never have thought that these Ravens were the same chaps who had dominated Leek Town just two days before…

I drove home wondering how desolate Lye Town’s ground would be tomorrow evening; another team fighting for a league title…

Kay and Piliero after the final whistle...

Carney shows appreciation for the guests...

Teams:

Coalville:  Sean Bowles, Danny Jenno, Cam Stuart (Capt); Glyn Cotton, Jamie McAteer, Liam Kay; Ant Carney, Gary Hay, Callum Woodward, Ben Saunders, Reece Lester.

Subs: Sam Saunders, Jordan Nadat, Jed Davies, Andy Hutchinson, Sam Moore.

Gresley:  Mats Morch, Matt Roome, John Guy; Jamie Barrett (Capt), Liam Guest, Eric Graves; Kieran O’Connell, Sam Grice, Serge Makofo, Rob Spencer, Paolo Piliero.

Subs: Brad Wells, Lucas Harrison, Mitch Hanson, Zibusiso Nyatito, Michael Lyons.