Coleshill Town 0 v 1 Hinckley Athletic - F.A. Vase

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 20th November 1976
F.A. Challenge Vase
Coleshill Town 0 v 1 Hinckley Athletic
Scorer: Rushall.


Team: Peter Garnell GK (On loan from AP Leamington), ? Brayson, John Allcock, Paul Hannon, Davie Marson, Roy Phelps, Ray Nabbs (Bert Brayley), Eddie Hanlon, John Newey, Paul Garnell, Mark Gardner.


COLESHILL CHRONICLE WROTE
Town Back On Form But Still Lose
A welcome return to form by Coleshill Town failed to prevent them losing this FA Challenge Vase match against Hinckley Athletic on Saturday. In an evenly balanced first half in which Hinckley created the most chances, they were foiled by the brilliance of Town keeper Peter Garnell, who made three breathtaking saves early in the game. After this Coleshill came back to match their West Midlands League opponents. Hinckley kicked off backed by their cheering supporters who had swelled Coleshill's biggest crowd of the season. Coleshill came forward and Brayson slotted a ball through to Allcock only for the winger to be given offside. A long ball by Miller gave Challenor a chance but Garnell raced out to pick up on the edge of the box. With all the Town players working harder than of late, Allcock went on a long run down the left but his cross went out of play over the bar. A bad throw out by keeper Garnell had to be quickly played back to him by Hannon under pressure. Allcock picked up the ball in midfield and fed it to Marson who shot wide. Taylor set up a great chance for Wilson three yards out but a fantastic save by Garnell pushed the ball over for a corner. Two minutes later Wilson missed another chance and Phelps played well to give the ball back to the keeper. Some controlled play by Nabbs gave Phelps a header goalwards but this was easily cleared. A long shot from the right by Taylor was just touched onto the bar by Garnell. Johnny Allcock, back at his best, went down the left but Marson waited and lost his opportunity for a shot. A shot from Wright was pushed for a corner when the in-form Garnell dived in a mellee in the six yard box. Coleshill now came back on the attack. First Nabbs, Hanlon and Phelps combined but broke down on the edge of the box, then Marson hit the side-netting from wide in the penalty area after being sent away again by Nabbs. Some deft passing between Nabbs and Hanlon set up a chance for Allcock but the winger was too hasty in a good position. A powerful shot from Phelps hit Miller and bounced out to Hanlon whose shot was turned away for a corner by Hogg. Hinckley hit back through Taylor who hit the side-netting after a very good approach involving several players. Wilson missed another chance in the six yard box, and after Nabbs had been caught in possession, Challenor shot across the face of the goal. A free kick just outside the box on the left was clawed at by Garnell and finally cleared off the line by Paul Hannon. The second half started in the same mood as the first with attacks swinging from end to end. The first positive chance came to Coleshill when a long cross from Marson was hit over the bar by Allcock, then a cross-come-shot from Nabbs decieved Hogg and went across the face of goal with no-one on hand to touch in. In the middle third of the half Town were doing all the pressing and a corner on the left gave a shot to Nabbs which was well held by Hogg. Within a minute Nabbs was brought down again on the edge of the box. Taking the kick himself he shot over the bar. John Newey, sweeping everything up at the back gave Town the chance to throw men forward, which produced shots for Phelps and Allcock. After being pegged back for some time Hinckley came forward again and an effort from Challenor was forced away for a corner by Paul Garnell. From the corner Terry Taylor headed just past the right hand post in a crowded goal area. Ray Nabbs was replaced by Brayley after working hard in midfield and attack for Town. The visitors were applying a lot of pressure at this stage and a break-out by Allcock for Town failed when he failed to spot Brayley in an unmarked position in front of goal. Paul Garnell went forward on a run and a fine shot from him was palmed for a corner. A Phelps header was smothered on the line by Hogg. A low header from Hinckley substitute Rushall in front of goal went just wide of the post. Then two minutes later a Hinckley attack on the right was headed on into the danger area by Lewis and Rushall, who seemed to knock the ball down with his arm, charged through to smash the ball home. Within a minute Coleshill had the ball in the net but Phelps had kicked the ball from the keepers hands and this effort was disallowed by the referee. A shot from Marson hit full back Childs and bounced away for a corner. From the set-piece Newey came into the box on a late run to head just over. In the dying minutes of what was a great cup-tie, Challenor failed to connect after a good run into the six yard box and Coleshill's last attack fizzled out when Marson delayed his cross from the right. Even in losing Coleshill gained a moral victory, and the Hinckley side and supporters who came expecting an easy passage to the next round, went away with the knowledge that other than those early minutes when Peter Garnell kept Coleshill in the match, they had not won until the final minute. This could be just the springboard for Town to climb from their lowly league position, now that their cup interests are over.