Northern Premier League Midlands
The Moat Ground
Saturday, 7th January 2023, 3.00pm
Vital Win For Rovers
On a dismal wet afternoon and on a challenging surface after the recent heavy rain, Rovers brought a glimmer of sunshine with a vital win and a much needed three points beating high-flying Coleshill Town at the Moat Ground.
Rovers manager Carl Abbott had to re-arrange his back line with defender Mason Frizelle missing due to injury.
Alby Lansdowne came in alongside Alex Morris at the heart of the defence with Chris Camwell taking the left back role.
Rovers made a bright start forcing two corners in the first ten minutes which came to nothing. However, on 17 minutes Danny Munday went agonisingly close to opening the scoring when he connected with James Spruce’s cross hammering his shot goalward only to see the ball hit the underneath of the bar before bouncing down onto the line and away with visiting keeper Paul Hathaway helpless.
The home side was on top and minutes before the break a shot from Kane Lee, looking certain for the top corner of Hathaway’s net only to take a slight deflection which tool the ball just over the bar for a corner.
The only save of the first half of any note for Lewis Fenney to make came almost on the halftime whistle but the home keeper made a comfortable low save to hold onto Taylor Byrne’s shot from the edge of the area,
Rovers had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring two minutes into the second half when Spruce was unceremoniously brought down in the penalty area as he raced towards goal by Niall Rowe who received a yellow card for his clumsy tackle.
Lee, who had scored from the spot against Shepshed on bank holiday Monday, picked up the ball again but this time he blazed his shot over the bar.
Rovers made their first change with Dylan Hunniford replacing Chris Camwell who was suffering from a dead leg.
The game became a little techy with Hunniford and Town’s George Washbourne both receiving a yellow card for a slight disagreement on the touchline.
On 72 minutes Rovers were handed another chance to take the lead. This time it was Lee who was brought down as he burst into the area and Spruce to take the spot kick who made no mistake blasting the ball past Hathaway.
Rovers deserved their slender lead but Town were not going to give up the three points easily and began to put the home side under pressure as they searched for that vital leveller, but they found Rovers were stubborn and defended well preventing the visitors from even going close.
The final few minutes were played in a downpour, but Rovers held on for all three vital points.
