COVENTRY COLLIERY 2-0 AFC BINLEY: MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

Good Workout For Both Teams, As Wagstaff Inspires Colliery To Win Over Binley…

Coventry Colliery 2-0 AFC Binley

This keenly fought match, during which the Colliery sought to confuse me with two number 5 starters, two number 16 starters and two number 21 starters, was played on a really good quality surface, unlike many I have watched games upon. New Binley boss Edwin Starr Greaves was without a couple of players due to work commitments but his charges put up a decent performance against their higher ranked opponents from the Coventry Alliance Premier Division. Colliery were driven on by their bearded number 16 Kev Wagstaff from midfield, as opposed to their keen, clean-shaven number 16 Mick Parry who foraged in attack. I was told not to praise Wagstaff too much by a member of the Colliery coaching staff but in truth he was the fulcrum, the mouth, the provider, the organiser for his team and even the scorer of the opening goal, so what could I do but praise the hairy-chinned chap? He was a constant menace but I am quite glad he was never in a Primary School class of mine, although I’d have been really pleased to have him captaining my school’s soccer team…

DIFFERENT BODY LANGUAGE OF TWO OF THE THREE NUMBER 5s PRESENT DURING THE EVENING...

Thanks are due to the really decent referee for being rather good on the night and to Edwin Starr Greaves for providing help with the identification of Binley’s players, but also I appreciated the Colliery back-room guys’ efforts who really did their best to keep me informed of their personnel changes. I hope I have the names and numbers correct but if not, I can only apologise…

BEN ROWAN STROKES A PASS...

Two goals won the match, the second from the bright Colliery right-sided attacker Rory Smith with an individual effort which Binley ‘keeper Jordan Campbell would not be too pleased about conceding, nor indeed beaten defenders Aaron Laming, the Binley skipper and also Ryan Higginson, I guess. Smith might have netted several times to be fair, with strike partners Parry and the belligerent Kieran Docherty also missing chances. The visitors played some neat football on the surface though, although striker Sean Ryder failed to score on a few occasions and despite the clever feet of left-winger Travis Smallwood, the opportunities created by AFC were irregular. Campbell certainly made a few saves for Binley and the first of them arrived within a minute of the start which might just have set Binley back onto their heels a little for it took a while for them to find their feet as Wagstaff buzzed, Docherty bustled and Smith benefitted from some loose marking by AFC.

TRAVIS SMALLWOOD THREATENS...

A SLIGHT MISJUDGEMENT...

HANG ON, WHO'S GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION HERE?

The hosts passed the ball neatly on occasions and also used the outlet of the pace of Smith and Parry to release long deliveries towards,  but in the final 20 minutes or so, Colliery introduced centre-back James Hartland (wearing 20) and midfielder Liam Cowley, another number 23, who really dominated the latter stages, not allowing their guests to threaten much at all. 

THESE TWO ARE SO CLOSE, SHOULD THEY NOT BE PLAYING IN THE EVO STIK LEAGUE?

TRAVIS AND BEN: AT IT ALL EVENING...

"I BET YOU DON'T SCORE TONIGHT..."
"ME TOO..."

REF: "NO, YOU CAN TIE YOUR OWN LACES, MY GOOD MAN..."

Parry slipped into the left side of the penalty-box after a minute or so and clipped a right-footed shot from an angle which Campbell did really well to turn away but the ease with which Colliery got through from that position must have been a cause for concern for Mr Greaves. Indeed, after Docherty had taken a pass from Smith and driven too high then Docherty had fed Smith for a similar outcome, Wagstaff drove into the same AFC defensive area, rounded the advancing Campbell and slipped a confident finish inside the far upright from an angle to open the scoring for the hosts.

1-0...

WAGGY THE BEARD IS THE SCORER...

Binley had gone fairly close to notching a goal before Wagstaff had struck but Ryder had got beneath a good cross by Simon Lightowler from the left and lifted a headed chance too high, the awkward Tyler Morgan had lashed an angled shot way too high and Steven Young had looked dangerous on one run but he had overhit his cross off target. Morgan and Ryder both rolled weak efforts wide of the left post for AFC but Colliery went closer when Binley’s Curtis Smallwood managed to knock Parry’s low centre wide of the near post to concede a corner.

THOSE TWO ARE STILL AT IT...

Fine skills on the left by Travis Smallwood, favouring his right foot, led to another chance for Ryder whose shot was again weak, then after home skipper Stan Maloney, one of the 5s on the pitch for Coventry, had not really connected with a header from Wagstaff’s corner, a good cross by adventurous Binley right-back Andy Godfrey was punched away by home goalie Karl Roache as Ryder jumped alongside him.

NO-ONE WANTS TO LISTEN TO WAGGY AT HALF-TIME, SO HE PLAGUES THE REFEREE...

Half-time reached, the players had but little respite as the referee was using up valuable drinking time (jesting…) and a short break only was allowed but the guests nearly choked their hosts with a quick-fire equaliser after the interval. A left-flank free-kick by the slim, lean Travis Smallwood (is he a country singer too?) found the head of the battling, straining, fully engaged AFC midfielder Danny Vincent in a great position for a header but the downward effort was easy for Costelloe to drop onto. Colliery should sign a ‘keeper called Abbott too, then the pair would have a famous comic history…

More clinical were Colliery however and the game was subsequently settled in the early stages of the second period. First goalie Campbell was in the act of jumping to catch a right-side Wagstaff free-kick into his chest but the ball was having none of it and sprang away from him, leaving the gloveman no choice but to throw himself at the lurking Watts, whose lunge lifted the loose ball only just too high. Soon though the game was effectively settled when Smith made a great run on the right and beat first Higginson and then Laming before closing in along the right byeline towards the near post but instead of squaring the ball to Docherty, whose mouth was watering in anticipation of a tap-in, the young winger fooled Campbell and slipped the ball off the ‘keeper and just inside the upright.

2-0...

SMITH'S YELLOW BOOT HAS STRUCK...

THERE HE IS, NUMBER 18, BEING STALKED BY BINLEY'S LIGHTOWLER...

Binley replacement Kent Brewster, surely a name from an American detective series, was effective for his team during the second-half and after Ryder had not quite been able to reach a far post cross by Vincent, throwing himself at the ball like he was falling off the cliffs at Cornwall’s Bedruthan Steps and had then wasted a 20 yard free-kick chance by driving too high, Brewster clipped a 23 yard effort not far wide of the left stick. Brewster’s next contribution went closer though and followed a left-wing throw but his spectacular over-shoulder shot rapped against the left post with Costelloe beaten.

That close shave served to consolidate Colliery’s efforts into restoring concentration and Wagstaff and Smith took centre-stage really. Docherty fed a pass right towards Smith but Campbell raced out to block, before a brilliant Wagstaff pass saw Docherty fail to shoot which brought an angry and frustrated comment from the scary forward: 

“Gosh chaps, I so nearly managed to get a shot in there…” 

I think that’s what he said anyway…

"SORRY MATE, DIDN'T SEE YOU..."

Waggy fed Smith for a shot too high, a fine pass by the skilful Cowley led to a slightly loose final touch by Smith and he was again denied by the outrushing Campbell, Smith drove too high and a Parry header from Arron Hope’s cross was slammed clear by Curtis Smallwood who left his own ‘keeper flattened in the process. Sadly, the few attacks which Binley amassed lacked any real threat, for first, after a fine one-two between the hardworking Steven Young and Ryder, maybe Travis Smallwood delayed too long and his eventual low shot was comfortably deflected by Colliery’s defence, then the influential Brewster shot wastefully off target and finally Travis Smallwood set up Ryder for a shot from 18 yards which ballooned upwards like a Wasps’ conversion to end a frustrating evening for the central striker.

The final offensive moments belonged to the home team when Hartland’s long pass saw Smith run on again but the winger was denied by the scampering Campbell, left in the soup again by absent defensive colleagues and when speedy substitute Ant Allen’s pass across the penalty-area to Smith resulted in a low shot from 12 yards, Curtis Smallwood hacked the effort from his goal-line. 

EDWIN PLAYS A GAME ON HIS PHONE...

Certainly Colliery deserved to win the game but their plucky opponents will take a considerable amount from the match for their defence often held firm, with Laming and Curtis Smallwood doing some good work. Steve O’Sullivan was a meaty midfielder, Young and Godfrey were lively on the right at times and Travis Smallwood showed some delightful touches and delivered a few decent crosses from dead-ball situations, although he was knocked off the ball a few times too. Ryder will have more productive days in front of goal but Vincent never stopped working until he limped from the action.

Wagstaff was so good for Colliery, Ben Buckby (?) had a battle with Travis Smallwood, Ben Rowan was lively in midfield and Parry was quick in attack but with Docherty taking the brunt of service in the middle and Smith looking rapid and dangerous, Coventry were, as expected, the more efficient outfit, albeit this was a pre-season match…

Rory Smith’s reaction: “I think it was a great game, it wasn’t too one-sided and everyone put a good performance in.”

Me? From a Colliery on Tuesday, to Coalville on Thursday… You just couldn't make that up…

SQUADS:

COVENTRY COLLIERY:

KARL ROACHE, DAN WATTS, BEN BUCKBY, STAN MALONEY (CAPT), JORDON WYLDS, RORY SMITH, WAGGY WAGSTAFF, BEN ROWAN, ARRON HOPE, MICK PARRY, KIERAN DOCHERTY.

JAMES COSTELLOE, JAMES HARTLAND, DANNY KANE, ANT ALLEN, LIAM COWLEY, MATTY WATSO, LUKE SANDERS.

AFC BINLEY:

JORDAN CAMPBELL, ANDY GODFREY, SIMON LIGHTOWLER, STEVE O’SULLIVAN, AARON LAMING (CAPT), CURTIS SMALLWOOD, STEVEN YOUNG, DANNY VINCENT, SEAN RYDER, TYLER MORGAN, TRAVIS SMALLWOOD.

RYAN HIGGINSON, RYAN SWEETMAN, KENT BREWSTER.