Coleshill Town 4 v 1 Ladywood Rangers - Birmingham Junior Cup

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 6th October 1971
Birmingham Junior Cup
Coleshill Town 4 v 1 Ladywood Rangers
Scorers:
Town: Phil Dunn 2, Roy Phelps 2 pens.
Rovers: Cummings.
Team: John Comley GK, Martin Curtis, Les Owen, Geoff Statham, John Brown, Clive Lyons, Phil Dunn, Roy Phelps, Eddie Hanlon, Oscar Deeming, Paul Hannan.


CASTLE BROMWICH NEWS WROTE
Two Goal Dunn Leads The Way
Two penalties and two well taken goals by Phil Dunn were enough to send Coleshill into the third round of the Birmingham Junior Cup. Rovers, a gallant West Metropolitan League side, never gave up trying, but were no match for well-drilled Coleshill. With Pete Garnell unfit, Coleshill brought in Curtis for his first game of the season and adopted a 4-2-4 formation. Opening exchanges were scrappy with neither side paving many openings. After 20 minutes, Coleshill took the lead when Curtis was floored in the box by Lawrence and Phelps made no mistake from the penalty spot. Ladywood tried hard to get back on terms and almost succeeded but Comley made a brilliant save from a fierce Connor shot. Playing against the wind, Coleshill never really established any authority on the game as too often, their final passes went astray. Neither side looked like scoring as Ladywood were content to join a dour midfield battle. On the resumption, Coleshill went all out to increase their lead and Phelps shot narrowly wide. With the wind and slope, Town took complete control and went close on several occasions. Eventually Dunn, having his best game for Coleshill, got the ball in the net. His first shot was blocked, but he smacked the rebound home after 60 minutes. From a Hanlon free kick, Phelps headed against the bar and Griffiths saved well from Deeming. But Coleshill relaxed in defence and Hannan had to make two saving tackles to keep Ladywood out. Rovers were not to be denied, however, and Cummings took advantage of slack defensive work to slot the ball past the advancing Comley. Phil Dunn, a constant thorn in Rovers side, was brought down in the area and Phelps stroked the ball home to restore Town’s two goal lead. It was Dunn who sealed the issue, after 78 minutes when he ran on to a pass from Phelps and hit a great shot past Griffiths. Curtis had a great chance to score in the final minute but he miscued and Rovers cleared. Coleshill’s performance was satisfactory rather than good, while Ladywood, although never really in the game, did not give up.