WHEN CONNOLL FARRELL SCORED TEN...

WHEN CONNOLL FARRELL SCORED TEN...

In 2017, Kev Kingham (ex-Coventry Copsewood manager) and Geoff Harris, whose company is Coventry Plumbing & Heating Supplies, decided to apply for the membership of a new team in the Midland Football League but this attempt failed, so as ‘Coventry Plumbing’ they played one season in the Coventry Alliance Division 3 at Kirby Corner in Westwood Heath Road, Coventry. 

KIRBY CORNER...

They promptly won the league comfortably, with a 16-2-2 record, beating AFC Binley to the title with a 50 point haul. They were thus admitted into the Midland League Division 3 for the 2018-19 season, finishing a creditable 4th, with a 19-4-7 record, finishing 10 points adrift of champions Alcester Town, despite a huge number of games being squeezed in at the tail-end of a weather ravaged term.

GYPSY LANE FACILITIES...

The idea was to move to Kenilworth Town’s old ground, improve the facilities (I bet the plumbing’s good…) and take the 'Kenilworth Town’ name too, which will now happen at the end of this current season. Unfortunately the pitch at Gypsy Lane has been a problem and once again the Plumbers will be playing catch-up, albeit looking a good bet for promotion. They currently lie in a good place in the league with matches in hand but they have had to play two recent home games on Bedworth United’s artificial pitch. 

THE KENILWORTH TOWN GROUND...

Last season, I saw the penultimate game of Coventry Plumbing’s season, a 12-0 victory against Castle Vale Town. Striker Connoll Farrell is quick, with a great left foot and he remains one of the nice guys in non-league football. He was on 45 goals with two matches remaining whilst he league’s leading goalscorer was Continental Star’s Ant Smith with 54 overall… 

CONNOLL FARRELL...

Team Boss Kev Kingham explains: “I had set Connoll a target of 55 goals, having known him for a good few years at a couple of clubs and I knew that 55 was a realistic target…”

Against Castle Vale the leftie netted TEN times and had grabbed six before Joe Gardner and James Chappell struck too. At the interval the score was 9-0…

Farrell netted a penalty, two 20 yard free-kicks, a rebound, three rushes clear to beat the ‘keeper, a shot on the turn, a deflected drive and a low effort from 18 yards. Incredibly, he drove another penalty over the left angle of bar and upright… 

CONNOLL SCORES WITH A FREE-KICK v CASTLE VALE...

Did he really take home three balls to correspond with a three-hat-trick haul? 

His season’s total was thus 55 and he won the top goalscorer’s accolade! He actually failed to score in the last match, a 1-1 draw at AFC Solihull…  

Coventry Plumbing will soon be Kenilworth Town but what a fine, short history they have enjoyed…

Kev Kingham again: “Our aim for this season has always been promotion but our backlog makes it an uphill task. However, I have a great bunch of lads and we will have a good go at it. Last season’s backlog was our downfall but we hope the same thing doesn’t happen again…”

KEV KINGHAM (RIGHT): FOLKS SEEM SPOOKED BY THE FROWN...

Famous last words, Kev...