COALVILLE TOWN 5-0 BASFORD UNITED: full match report by THE MOWDOG...

Basford Scavenged By Clinical Ravens…

Coalville Town 5-0 Basford United

(Evo-Stik South Play-off Semi-Final)

Town dominated United from the start of this tie, scorched into what was effectively an unassailable lead before the interval and rubbed in their ascendancy with two more goals during the second period. Nathan Watson was in fine form for the Ravens and deserved the prize of goal five but with Callum Woodward playing more like an irritated wasp than a scavenging raven and Liam Walshe quietly marshalling the defensive midfield duties, Basford really were outplayed for much of the game. For those who were unable to pronounce Basford correctly, it was helpful of the match programme to spell it ‘Baseford’ in a couple of places inside and indeed, base was their performance. One fine Sean Bowles save from Reuben Wiggins-Thomas late in the game and an Ashley Grayson header wide of a post were the best opportunities created by the rather abject visitors. Alex Troke led the home forwards with strength and netted twice, Woodward’s headed goal was smartly accepted and Danny Jenno’s strike was excellent. Fabian Smith’s foraging was typical for the guests and Kyle Nixon was hugely prominent but in truth, Basford were effectively beaten in the opening 25 minutes.

THE 'KEEPERS TOSS UP WITH A MR LAMB AND A MR FREELOVE...

Nixon shot wide early on for Basford but within minutes, Watson’s clever one-two with Woodward led to a right-side centre, which cannoned off Basford defender Mason Rowley’s boot onto his own left post, whereby Troke lashed the rebound into the roof of the net, past helpless United skipper and goalie Saul Deeney.

TROKE HAPPY, DEENEY NOT SO...

1-0 RAVENS...

A short corner routine by Smith for Basford ended with a skied and wasted shot from 18 yards by Jermain Hollis, before a hopeful Courey Grantham shot was fielded by Bowles, also a skipper, meaning both custodians were also captains… When adventurous left-back Lee Torr made a typical sortie along the left-flank, he drove in a low shot, which Deeney just fingered as it flew past the right upright but from Watson’s corner, Town increased their lead. Woodward, involved (really? Surely not…) with pushing and shoving on the goal-line with both Deeney and Nixon, rose and flashed a near post header high into the net and Basford looked like they’d been splashed with mud by a passing vehicle on their way to a wedding: horrified…

ON THE RIGHT IS CALLUM WOODWARD: SO GENTLE THAT IF HE WASN'T A FOOTBALLER, HE'D BE A PRIEST...

...& HE HAS SCORED GOAL 2...

Within moments, the score was 3-0, as Watson and Troke combined, Woodward’s pass towards Watson on the 18 yard line saw the smart forward rob Robbie McNicholas, the ball deflected off Hollis and ran for Jenno to strike from 23 yards and his hit was true as it rifled into the bottom left corner of the net, to the conspiracy of Ravens’ total delight.

DANNY JENNO HAS RIFLED GOAL 3...

HAPPY RAVENS AGAIN...

Stuart Hendrie attempted a shot from 20 yards but there was little venom in it and Bowles collected easily, Woodward fed Watson again for Coalville and he passed right for Alex Dean to strike a drive from 24 yards, an effort which Deeney dived left for and managed to turn wide of his left upright. Bowles was suddenly called into action by diving down to his right to keep out a downward header… But this had been a back-pass by his right-back, the aptly named Josh Raven… You couldn’t make it up. The flag-kick was cleared to Grantham but his 21 yard shot crossed the end-line 5 yards from the left corner-flag, which suggested that Bowles was in more danger from his own defenders than Basford’s attackers. At the other end, Torr slipped a good pass inside to Woodward but he sliced his hurried shot well wide of the right stick from a decent position, before slight threat by Hollis at the right upright for United led to a break by Town, when Woodward cleared, Troke and Torr were involved and Watson cleverly tricked Rowley inside the penalty-box, only to fire a rising effort into the side-netting.

WOW...

A Troke free-kick from inside-left, 28 yards out was fumbled by the falling Deeney but Rob Darkin was quickest to the loose ball to clear and all that remained in the half was for Bowles to spill a left-wing centre and for Hendrie’s subsequent shot to be blocked by a massed defence.

Half-time arrived, the game was effectively over and with Torr, Watson, Troke and Woodward in high gear, low gear Basford trooped off the field with shoulders hunched as the evening temperature dropped as low as their morale.

BASFORD LOOK LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC TO BEGIN HALF 2...

Basford of course simply had to up their performance after the break and they did achieve more possession but in fairness, they were constantly thwarted by the home defence, in which Dean Freeman and Jenno were generally dominant. An early corner was cleared by the Ravens and set them offending, so that Woodward played a one-two with industrious Jared Holmes, before driving a shot wide of the left upright. Troke also swung an effort wide but United were punished again, following the threat of Watson’s feet and then Dean’s presence, which saw a challenge by Deon Meikle punished by the award of a penalty, as Dean fell. The referee had sheepishly pointed to the spot but  although his name wasn’t Larry Lamb, it was in fact Barry Lamb… Troke smacked a confident rising penalty up to Deeney's right and the ball bulged the net.

A PENALTY HAS BEEN AWARDED...

...& TROKE HAS CONVERTED IT...

4-0 NOW...

Watson was meanly upended by Darkin, who was cautioned, Meikle’s deep free-kick drifted too high for Wiggins-Thomas at the right post and Smith, whose effort for Basford could not be faulted, scythed down an opponent near the touchline and earned a deserved caution too. He, along with the unhappy Hendrie, was replaced, with both Ant Griffiths Jun. and Ash Grayson entering the lost cause. An odd incident then saw Wiggins-Thomas poke the ball into the Coalville net, whilst everyone else stood like Roman statues in the British Museum, for the ball had gone out of play, as the indefatigable Nixon attempted to conjure up a chance along the left byeline…

SQUABBLES ON THE TOUCHLINE...

Troke and Dean, not Torr(ville) and Dean, threatened briefly for Town, then it appeared that Woodward and Grantham were booked as a result of some unpleasantness in front of the downcast Basford dugout and soon, Raven was replaced by Luke Smithson for Coalville, who would have an immediate impact on their offensive right. He broke away on the flank and measured his pass inside for Watson perfectly, who rounded the advancing and helpless Deeney to convert with ease. 5-0 and really, United would surely have liked to go home…

5-0...

NATHAN WATSON HAS ROUNDED DEENEY...

Woodward, having affected the game so positively, was withdrawn and Josh Morrall received some playing time before Basford, to their credit, created a really decent chance. Nixon, inevitably, was involved, slipping a pass for Grantham to attack on the right-wing and his delivery fell for Wiggins-Thomas to convert, surely, at the far stick but as the striker prepared to return to the centre-spot the gloves of the swooping Raven Bowles smothered the ball wide for a corner. Nixon’s flag-kick curled towards the near post and the lively Grayson rose to power a header just wide of the left upright. Wiggins-Thomas departed and Jack Duffy arrived for Basford, Nixon was superbly tackled by Jenno, before Woolley, on for Troke, received a pass from Watson but shot low at Deeney. Watson himself was denied by the ‘keeper too, following a long Coalville punt forward.

THE ENIGMATIC NATHAN WATSON...

Neat Smithson work on the right saw Walshe and Woolley get in the way of each other, although Woolley did get a shot away, only well wide and after Meikle drove well off target from 25 yards, the visitors were put out of their misery by Mr Lamb’s final bleating whistle.

Coalville moved into the Play-off Final with some ease and in this kind of form, Shaw Lane Aquaforce and Lincoln United would not relish a tie with the Scavenging Ravens…

Me? Back to Solihull along a more pleasant M42 and a thawing out… It’s what I do…

TEAMS:

COALVILLE TOWN:

Sean Bowles (Capt), Josh Raven, Lee Torr, Danny Jenno, Dean Freeman, Liam Walshe, Callum Woodward, Alex Dean, Alex Troke, Nathan Watson, Jared Holmes.

SUBS:

Brad Munn, Luke Smithson, Josh Morrall, Jake Woolley, Matt Coton (gk).

BASFORD UNITED:

Saul Deeney (Capt), Robbie McNicholas, Deon Meikle, Jermain Hollis, Mason Rowley, Rob Darkin, Stuart Hendrie, Fabian Smith, Reuben Wiggins-Thomas, Courey Grantham, Kyle Nixon.

SUBS:

Ant Griffiths Jnr, Jack Duffy, Ash Grayson, Roger Lee, Jake Wood.