FLASHBACK: FEBRUARY 2011... COALVILLE TOWN 4-4 DUNKIRK...

AH, YES: COALVILLE...

AS WAS THEN...

Mouth

He arrived quite late,

Had expected that parking would be tough

And so he had travelled by omnibus, undaunted, demonstrative:

Alone.

He carried a stick,

Had hobbled through the perimeter grass

And so, he had squatted near to me, undeniably remonstrative.

Clone.

He sported an ear-stud,

Had carried a good deal of weight

And so he had dropped it nearby, unerringly, heavily

Prone.

He bellowed in ignorance,

Had expected to watch Barwell instead

And so he had slummed it to Coalville to unacceptably, impossibly

Atone.

He targeted one defender,

Had realised that he was struggling

And so he had screamed at him, unabatedly surly

Drone.

He summed up the proceedings,

Had decided that it was time

And so he had left the ‘rubbish’ and unintelligently, obtrusively

Flown…

Pete Ray

February 2011

Obese, irritating loudmouth, watching football at a level below his own team’s. An exciting 4-4 draw was ‘rubbish’. 

It’s what these people do…

WOT? NO FLAG, NO DRUM?

AN EARLY ARRIVAL SPREADS HIMSELF OUT A LITTLE...

SNUG...

Boatmen Amuse Then Confound Ruffled Ravens

Coalville 4 Dunkirk 4

Att: 132

Dunkirk went behind to a looping header, conceded a penalty and contrived to gift their hosts the most farcical of third goals, before fighting back to parity with some guts and a considerable amount of ability, then allowed the Ravens to score late in the contest and seemingly break their hearts, yet they stormed back again to equalise in the final moments of this spectator-revel at Owen St. Leigh Everitt, the injured Coalville defender chatted to me before the game and his startled expression at the end of the contest said it all and I reckon he was glad he hadn’t featured in his team’s defensive performance. And Dunkirk’s early on, for that matter! It was a great match to watch, however, with many twists and turns, some fine individual displays and it appeared that Dunkirk had come of age in the Alliance. A veteran moaner and Barwell fan, who left the match with ten minutes remaining, summed it all up in one word, ‘Rubbish.’ Well, he’s used to being bored at Barwell’s games…

Coalville pushed forward from the start with a series of left-wing throws but the only end result was a 25 yard effort at goal by Dodd, which flew well wide. Dodd was then hopelessly exposed as Westcarr breezed past him then Kay too and crossed well from the left; Grant managed to bundle the ball down for Atkin, just 5 yards out but his side-footed shot was stopped by goalie Bowles’ outstretched right leg, when it seemed that a goal was imminent. McGeown was warned for a foul on Ravens’ striker Moore, at the edge of the Dunkirk penalty-box, offering a shooting chance for Cameron Stuart, whose left-footer was aimed at the near post area from left of centre but the defensive wall blocked the attempt and Garmston booted away Woodward’s rebound drive. Beck did well to clear Murdock’s right-wing delivery and apart from the odd possession by Westcarr and Dodd’s shaking of knees, Coalville were ascendant.

CAM STUART WIPES A PIECE OF STRAY COTTON FROM A COLLEAGUE'S SHORTS...

On 7 minutes, the hosts took the lead in unfortunate circumstances, Goodby’s deep delivery, left of centre being headed by McCaughey, 10 yards out, with Murdock near him and ‘keeper Want stranded, resulting in what looked like an agonising looping own-goal into the left corner of the Dunkirk net. Murdock seems to have been awarded the goal, however, the ball apparently deflecting off his shoulder... The Boatmen were all at sea now and Carney nearly got his head to Wells’ right flank centre and Miveld almost profited from Stuart’s left-wing cross. Garmston found some midfield room to spray two fine passes to colleagues then Murdock drove well wide of Want’s goal-frame. In the 20^th minute, Beck challenged Carney on the byeline and conceded a penalty, which Stuart despatched low into the right corner of goal with Want diving like a dolphin but in the opposite direction. Another three minutes lapsed and the Boatmen were sinking without trace, as Elliott and Want combined to concede a third and totally ludicrous goal. Oddly, it shouldn’t have counted, for the referee’s assessor told me that the preceding left-wing corner had been taken from outside the quadrant and with a moving ball but Murdock picked up the short corner anyway, played a poor ball towards the near post, where only Elliott and Want were positioned and then the comedy began. The two colleagues appeared like they were in a three-legged soccer game, legs tied together, both hesitating then hacking, then holding back and then looking horrified as the ball trickled between them for an embarrassing goal. And I do have that on video…  

THE WILY DARREN GARMSTON...

Incredibly, before the spectators had taken in the unfolding situation, Theo Smith swung a right-wing cross straight to Bowles, who inexplicably allowed the ball to slip through his grasp on the goal-line and Westcarr slithered the loose ball into the net from a yard or two. 26 minutes, four goals and then Westcarr dispossessed a slumbering Dodd in the 28^th minute and raced away from the covering Kay to the byeline; Goodby was attempting to mark Atkin but Westcarr’s delivery reached the far post, where the gleeful Grant rose and planted a firm downward header from 2 yards past the scrambling Bowles. Coalville were visibly shaken, Garmston and Elliott began to administer their abilities in midfield, Gregory and Beck grew in assuredness and Grant performed like he possessed twenty years of centre-forward experience.

CAM STUART...
WHAT A LEFTIE...

Grant ran with then lost the ball then began moaning at the official but Atkin fastened onto it, moved past Bowles at inside-left but was unable to find the supporting Garmston with his pull-back from the byeline. The Ravens were flustered, feathers askew, the Boatmen were baling out water and surviving and the spectators were staring in wonder at the entertainment. Atkin broke away again on the left but Grant was unable to turn the low centre into goal, although he was offside anyway. Finally, Coalville managed to force a foul from McCaughey, 24 yards out, inside-right channel but Want was able to fingertip Stuart’s curling effort over the angle of his left post and crossbar. The ‘keeper punched the corner away but had been fouled.

SHANNON GRANT (9): WHERE IS HE NOW???

Garmston fed Westcarr on the left and again Dodd was left helpless in the winger’s wake, Westcarr rounded the goalie too and crossed low for Atkin, just 6 yards out this time but his low shot was hacked off the goal-line by Kay, when really, Dunkirk ought to have been level. Credit to Kay, however but as half-time approached, Garmston was cautioned for a challenge, although it seemed that the two players involved had slid into each other. Breathless, the players left the field. Coalville’s midfield had rarely created enough to threaten Dunkirk, after the opening three ridiculous goals but they certainly looked suspect to their guests’ ability not only to race clear on the left but also to pass from midfield, where Elliott and Garmston were relishing the match. Smith hadn’t really been involved too much on the right for Dunkirk but again, Moore and Murdock didn’t really appear to have formed any kind of striking partnership.

After the break, Dunkirk began strongly and Atkin, fitting in much more comfortably, worked well on the left, Garmston continued the attack towards the right and McGeown’s cross was headed down by Atkin towards Grant, right of centre, 12 yards out but Bowles narrowed the shooting angle and Grant’s rising drive was parried. The ball was returned to Westcarr on the left but he delivered the ball beyond the goal-frame. Want hesitated when Gregory’s back-pass rolled towards him and he succeeded only in slamming it against Murdock, resulting in Want turning and running alongside the Coalville striker but managing to fall on the loose ball!

Garmston was fouled 23 yards from goal and his free-kick dipped just too late, before Beck became angry when Woodward received a caution for a bad challenge on the elusive Elliott. After more astute defending by Gregory, Elliott broke three tackles but Bowles beat the chasing Atkin to the midfielder’s pass then Garmston’s free-kick was cleared to Elliott, who controlled the ball in an instant but volleyed past the left upright from 23 yards. Wells was replaced by Attwood for the hosts but when McCaughey fed Atkin and Garmston passed a smart ball for Grant to chase at inside-left, Goodby’s tackle was really well timed. Smith was baulked as he made a run towards the right, following a neat passing movement but the official was unimpressed then Elliott won a free-kick, which the ambitious Garmston drove too high from a full 30 yards.

Dunkirk’s adventurous approach was bringing no reward but when Coalville countered, Woodward’s cross was intentionally headed over his own crossbar by Beck and this attack had stemmed from Dodd too easily beating Westcarr to head the ball away. The resulting short corner led to a powerful shot by Woodward, which beat Want but was superbly headed off the goal-line by the impressive Beck, leaving him on the ground and needing attention. Alls replaced Atkin and within minutes, the visitors achieved parity.

In the 72^nd minute, McGeown’s right-wing centre, close to the ‘keeper, was closed down by Grant and he bundled his 3 yard shot at Bowles’ falling body but Grant poked the loose ball under the goalie to net a deserved equaliser. Gardner and Robbins replaced the Ravens’ striking pair but to be truthful, this was no surprise and Want was soon busy, punching away Woodward’s high punt. Garmston aimed a neat pass for Grant to follow but Bowles advanced to kick the ball clear but the game was more even, as Robbins became a threat and Gregory made two telling challenges to rescue his team from the 18 yard line. Woodward was looking useful from the attacking right but it was a low centre by Stuart in the 82^nd minute, which looked to have won the game for Ravens. Beck stretched, the ball rolled across the 6 yard box and Gardner slid forward to prod the ball over the goal-line from 4 yards or so.

Coalville wasted a right-wing corner, Frawley replaced McGeown for Dunkirk and when Gardner nodded on a long ball from defence, Robbins smashed a great 15 yard volleyed cross-shot, which Want did well to beat away to his left. Goodby was cautioned for kicking the ball away as the game rose to a desperate crescendo, Frawley fed Westcarr on the left but Bowles gathered the near post cross then, in the last minute of the match, the Boatmen snatched their point. Grant chased the ball towards the left corner-flag, attended by two Ravens; he kept the ball in play, laid it back to McCaughey, who crossed from deep and Alls managed to knock it back for Smith, at inside-lift, 12 yards out and the winger, under pressure, cracked a fine low shot into the net past the diving Bowles at the near post. Relief for the visitors was nearly shattered after Hopkinson replaced McCaughey, when Gardner turned, left side of the penalty-box and fired a cross-shot similar to Robbins’ but Want dived left again and parried the ball to safety, as the referee blew the whistle for the final time.

This had been an entertaining game, although the coaches would be fuming at the generally lax defending, especially by Coalville. It was refreshing to see a visiting team attack one of the strongest teams in the division with no fear and despite some heavy defeats, Dunkirk are now mixing it with more confidence and consistency. Beck and Gregory have certainly steadied the central defence. Coalville’s two strikers needed more involvement but the midfielders were obviously shaken when Dunkirk netted twice in a minute, leaving Garmston and Elliott to run the creative areas of the pitch. Smith was quiet at times, Westcarr quieter after the break but Grant was grafting until the end. Woodward worked hard for the Ravens and Stuart looked composed for the most part, yet the two replacements were more dangerous in their cameo appearances than Moore and Murdock had been during the course of the game. Dodd really struggled… Westcarr’s earlier pace had hurt him. It’s what Westcarr does…