COALVILLE TOWN 2-1 RACING CLUB WARWICK: FULL REPORT & IMAGES...

Tom McGlincheys Victory For Ravens, Despite Resilient Effort By Racers…

Coalville Town 2-1 Racing Club Warwick

It’s always tough to write about a game after which both teams would claim to have deserved a positive outcome. Southern League Central outfit Coalville created many more chances to score than their lower ranked Midland League Division 1 guests and would have won more handsomely had it not been for some fine saves by Racer goalie Charlie Bannister. However, Warwick would certainly point to their stubborn resistance, their hard work in defence, three missed chances of their own and a penalty appeal, all of which would eclipse the Ravens’ undoubted dominance for much of the tie amongst the ranks of Warwick’s players, officials and supporters. In truth, the Ravens deserved the win but any unbiased spectators would feel some sympathy for the plucky, scrapping Racers. 

ONE LINESMAN PICKS A FINE TIME TO PRACTISE HIS BALLET STANCE...

LUKE COLE'S SOLEMNITY SEEMS TO HAVE AFFECTED RAVENS' JOE DOYLE-CHARLES...

A chap asked me whether I had paid to get into the game, despite videoing it, writing a match report and snapping images. I replied that of course I had paid. He seemed shocked. I thought about that afterwards…

BEN MACKEY SHOWS HIS GARTER, WHILST DEAN FREEMAN SHOWS HOW LARGE HIS CARP IS...

And in one of the access openings in the seating area opposite to the dressing-room and VIP area, another bloke spent a good deal of the match smoking cigarettes then returning to sit back down on his seat. Thanks for that. So much for fresh air on a September afternoon… 

MARTIN SLEVIN PICKS A GREAT TIME TO PEE...

But what about the match? Well, Warwick never really addressed the problem on the right side of their defence, where both Scott McManus and Tom McGlinchey threatened regularly for the Ravens and indeed, both Town goals stemmed from that flank. This was tough on Marc Passey, who played strongly for the Racers but the pressure of two marauding Ravens combining on his wing too often opened up RCW. Sean Castleton was the right-sided centre-back and he was regularly forced across to aid Passey but in all fairness, Coalville milked that area throughout the match. McGlinchey had more attempts at goal than anyone in his team and I guess it was fitting that he should net the winning goal. 

FREEMAN & COLE: OFTEN SEEN JUMPING...

So little was seen of the Racers before the 40th minute, for they were hesitant in their approach to quell the quickness, the slick passes and the danger caused on occasions by home strikers Tolani Omotola and Tim Berridge. Omotola was beaten to the ball in the opening minute by the outrushing Bannister, who kicked clear but on 11 minutes, the central attacker turned in Berridge’s low left-side centre to open the scoring, following the rapid forward’s rush towards the byeline.

1-0...

OMOTOLA (9) IS THE SCORER...

Berridge and Omotola were otherwise stopped from getting clear-cut opportunities by the hardy defensive Racers Jamie Tank and skipper Scott Turner but their pace was an ongoing problem from wide positions. McGlinchey was twice denied by Bannister’s feet and also fired a low shot for the ‘keeper to fall right upon, whilst Andrew Wright, impressive throughout for the hosts, saw an angled delivery from the right deflect off Bannister’s boots which were becoming rather handy. (Boots, handy? Hmm…) McManus struck a left-foot free-kick off Bannister’s right glove and just wide of the left upright and right-back Kyle Bryant smacked a shot too high but a foul by him offered the visitors a route back into the game just before the recess.

COLE & POWELL AREN'T HAPPY WITH THE COSSACK DANCE CLASS THEY'VE JOINED...

MR SOLEMN LOOKS SOLEMNLY AT HENRY LEAVER...

Trea Bertie had been unable to use his pace for the Racers, due to barely any service from his team, bar a couple of through-passes being too strongly kicked but finally, Bertie broke away from Bryant’s generally effective marking. The defender was forced to wrestle Bertie to the ground and was cautioned for his indiscretion. Martin Slevin took the resulting 27 yard free-kick and his left-footer seemed comfortable for home custodian Max Smith-Varnam to claim but the goalie failed to hold onto the wet ball, chest high and it flew off his mittens into the net. 

TREA BERTIE HAS BEEN FOULED...

KYLE BRYANT IS BOOKED...

THE RESULTING FREE-KICK: 1-1...

THAT EARLIER PEE MUST HAVE DONE SLEVIN GOOD...

This galvanised Warwick and twice in the closing first-half moments they so nearly added a second goal. First, Bannister’s long kick bounced over striker Ben Mackey and his marker, letting in Bertie but he was unable to direct his close-range touch into goal, firing wide of the right stick. Then Mr Solemn, Luke Cole almost jabbed in a free-kick from 3 yards. He had earlier slightly miscued a defensive header past his own left post too but generally Cole played with gusto, as well as using his aerial ability to cause consternation for the home defenders. 

MACKEY'S HOLD-UPS ARE MALFUNCTIONING AGAIN...

Thus the opening half ended, with RCW no doubt the happier of the two teams, although Town must have wondered how the hell they had been pegged back to parity, following the number of attacks instigated. Subsequently though, a single second-half strike would prove enough for the Ravens to advance in the FA Cup.

Again, Coalville created the chances to score, although Warwick seemed to have found their mettle and competed with more confidence, although the general standard of play was untidy much of the time. McManus’ near post touch from Wright’s clever low free-kick was grabbed by the tumbling Bannister, who later saved a hard McManus shot by parrying it aside. Berridge rushed forth from the left but was stopped in his caterpillar tracks by a superb Tank challenge, Wright drove a brilliant shot from 23 yards, inside-right channel against the top of the crossbar, off Bannister’s fingers, hard-working home midfielder Joe Doyle-Charles fired just too high, then delivered a low centre across the face of goal which everybody managed to miss, even McManus, at full stretch near the left stick.

BERTIE: CAUTIONED...

The reliable, always available Town skipper Steve Towers drove a fine effort just beyond the left angle of upright and crossbeam and late in the match, replacement Dan Creaney was denied from 8 yards, unmarked, by Bannister’s magic boots. However, McGlinchey would be the match winner, his goal coming after he had seen Bannister make up for a poor kick-out by diving low and left to turn away his low shot in great style. 

The goal was set up by Wright, who slipped possession to McGlinchey in the inside-left channel and he once again switched to his preferred right shoe and shot low inside the near post, past the somewhat unsighted Bannister. Later McGlinchey saw another low shot well saved by the diving Bannister, who got up to throw himself in front of Berridge’s rebound effort which he also kept out splendidly. 

2-1...

McGLINCHEY CLINCHES THE WIN...

Towers, Wright and Doyle-Charles were hard work for Racers Henry Leaver, Slevin and Cole to contain but they battled on regardless and indeed, after Mackey had clipped a 20 yarder for Smith-Varnam to catch under his crossbar, the striker would rue a chance to put his team ahead near the start of the second period. Bertie made ground on the RCW left, beat Bryant and crossed onto the head of Mackey a few yards out but his header flew straight at the clutching Smith-Varnam. In all honesty, Mackey had received little freedom from the powerful Luke Freeman in the home back-line, who was well supported by Bryant and McManus. 

WRIGHT IS CAUTIONED, WHILST BANNISTER PRACTISES FOR THE RACING CLUB WARWICK NATIVITY PLAY, WHERE HE, AS ONE OF THE THREE KINGS, HAS TO PLACE FRANKINCENSE NEXT TO THE MANGER...

However, just after that opportunity had been scorned, Bertie raced into the penalty-box and fell as the goalkeeper challenged him. The referee looked unsure whether a foul had been committed and so he looked at his assistant, who simply shrugged. So, neither of them could make a definite decision, yet the official cautioned Bertie for a dive. This meant that due to not knowing what had actually occurred, the referee had correctly not awarded RCW a penalty but by the same token of not knowing what had happened, he had nevertheless chosen to show a yellow card to Bertie… Interesting. 

ANOTHER FINE BANNISTER SAVE, ANOTHER RAVENS CORNER...

A bit of a scuffle ensued between home substitute Lee Cox and Racer Cole, cautions were administered to Warwick’s Castleton, plus Town’s Berridge, Doyle-Charles and Wright, whilst in the closing moments, home manager Adam Stevens was red-carded on the advice of a referee’s assistant. Warwick had one chance to threaten their hosts and it came from a very late corner on their left flank. The tall Bannister jogged forward to add extra height to the attack, we all waited with bated breaths, Bertie prepared to take the flag-kick and, er, dropped it onto the roof of the net… 

TROUBLE FLARES...

COX FINDS TOWERS' SKULL RATHER A TASTY DISH...

HOLDING ON...

ADAM STEVENS: SENT OFF...

Not to be for Warwick but they certainly competed well enough against their stronger opponents. There were talking points but really, on the balance of play and chances created, one could not but agree that the Ravens were worthy winners… 

TEAMS:

COALVILLE TOWN:

MAX SMITH-VARNAM, KYLE BRYANT, SCOTT McMANUS, STEVE TOWERS (CAPT), DEAN FREEMAN, JOE DOYLE-CHARLES, RYAN EBANKS, ANDREW WRIGHT, TOLANI OMOTOLA, TIM BERRIDGE, TOM McGLINCHEY.

SUBS:

DAN CREANEY, LEE COX, JACK HALLAHAN, DANNY MARTIN, LAMAR GRAHAM. 

RACING CLUB WARWICK:

CHARLIE BANNISTER, MARC PASSEY, RICH POWELL, SCOTT TURNER (CAPT), SEAN CASTLETON, JAMIE TANK, LUKE COLE, HENRY LEAVER, BEN MACKEY, TREA BERTIE, MARTIN SLEVIN.

SUBS:

MICHAEL ELLIS, SAM BEASLEY, RYAN BILLINGTON, WADE MALLEY, JOE SMITH.