MATCH REPORTS Back to website

from 27th/28th September 2008

SUNDAY - MENS' VASE 1st ROUND

Nuneaton 3 Streetly 1

Nuneaton went into Sunday’s HA Vase game with high hopes after such a positive result the day before. With the inclusion of Ally Jones, Nuneaton certainly gained in experience.

With Streetly fielding a young and skilful side, Nuneaton were going to have to be at their best. The first half was very even with both sides having good periods of possession. Streetly struck first with a wonderful individual goal, leaving several members of the defence red faced.

The second half started in much the same fashion, Nuneaton started to create chances with the ever dangerous James Atkins, and the non-stop running of Dave Holmes.

Half way through the second half Nuneaton were awarded a short corner, and up stepped Jones with a trade mark shot through the keeper. Both sides really pushed for the winner with some tough tackling and frantic play. Nuneaton maintained their cool and finally, were awarded a penalty flick after an awful tackle on James Atkins. Ally Jones was only to happy to flick the ball right into the top corner.

With ten minutes to go Nuneaton had to try a keep attacking, but Streetly would not give up and kept the impressive Julian Mount and co busy. Pete Sidwell made a fine save from a short corner in the last five minutes, which allowed Nuneaton to break quickly up the other end of the pitch and be awarded another short corner. With a poor set up, man of the match Jones managed to dribble his way by two defenders, before reverse flicking past the helpless Streetly keeper. Skipper Dave Eccles was over the moon with his side efforts and is looking forward to the league starting next week.

NUNEATON 4 COVENTRY JAGUAR 3

Nuneaton went into their last warm up game before the league season with a strong squad of players and skipper Eccles demanding a better start than last week, which is exactly what he got.

The home team played very direct hockey with good width, and it was not long before Dave HOLMES scored to put the home side ahead although Jaguar soon found themselves level with a drag flick that left keeper Pete Sidwell no chance.

The second half saw a goal rush that started when Dave ECCLES netted his second of the season, followed by another Jaguar drag flick as the visitors refused to capitulate.

This seemed to push Nuneaton to another level, with the back four of Mount, Taplin, Whitehead and man-of-the-match Rich Morris defying the opposition attempts to breach the home defence.

Nuns' midfield started to control the game with newcomer James Atkins providing Nuneaton with a new attacking edge. His devastating runs down the right flank soon helped to set up Steve FALLOWS to score and the same player was on hand to score his second after good approach play by Tim Bowdon.

Jaguar still had time for another deadly drag flick which flew past Sidwell but despite the visitors’ wholehearted efforts, Nuneaton held strong to secure a fine victory against opposition from a higher division.

It was a positive and encouraging performance for the home side with Ben Lancaster and Andy Forryan playing out of their usual positions for most of the game. With Bowdon and Atkins joining the club and Jason Taplin returning to the team after missing most of last season through injury, the side are looking strong, and players will have to work hard to keep their place in the side.

COVENTRY JAGUAR II 5 NUNEATON II 4

Travelling away with only ten men was hardly the best preparation for a tough game against local rivals Jaguar and so it proved when the home side cut through to score a well-worked opening goal with only five minutes on the clock.

Even with one less player, Nuneaton struck back straight away when Chris BURNARD fired in from a well worked short corner, after a deft one-two worked with Alan Owens.

The tit-for-tat continued with Jaguar regaining the lead before Roger STOKES showed he’s not lost the finishing touch, when Nick Perry’s cross was miscued by a Coventry player, Stokes pounced to glance the ball into the net.

Jaguar then took full advantage of the extra man, pressurising the visitors and scoring another two goals before the break when Nuneaton’s missing player finally arrived.

Ricky BAYLISS then got in on the act, beating several players before cracking an excellent shot past the keeper to bring Nuneaton right back into the game.

The away side had now built momentum and created several good chances to draw level, which they did with ten minutes remaining. Tom COSTELLO picked up a pass from Ryan Stokes on the left and worked his way into the “D” before rippling the Jaguar net with a firecracker shot.

With a draw looking likely, Nuneaton seemed to have salvaged something from an unfortunate start, but a defensive error in the last minute allowed the opposition centre forward to nip in and claim the winner.

This was hard luck for Nuneaton who had fought back well in the second half and certainly deserved something out of the game but the team will hope for better luck next week when the league campaign kicks off.

NUNEATON III 3 COVENTRY JAGUAR III 5

Nuneaton thirds entertained a much-improved Coventry Jaguar who secured promotion last season and who were intent on winning this final friendly before the start of the league season.

The home side started nervously and were unable to find any rhythm as the visitors pressed hard for an opening goal. Some shoddy defensive play gifted Jaguar a number of short corners which allowed them to capitalise with two firmly driven goals.

Although Nuneaton rallied and enjoyed a degree of possession, this brought no reward and another strike from the opposition saw the hosts go into the break with a 3-0 deficit.

An Ally JONES thunderbolt gave the home side renewed hope, but despite prolonged offense, Nuneaton could not unlock the Jaguar defence and fell for the sucker punch as Chris Ellis’s goal was breached a further twice.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Ally JONES crashed home before minutes later, Bill HARRIS deftly flicked past the onrushing keeper and although it seemed too little, too late, there were opportunities for Dave Ellingworth to possibly force an unlikely draw.

With league games starting next Saturday Nuneaton must re-organise and take the positives out of the game ready for the weeks ahead.

SUTTON VII 3 NUNEATON IV 5

Nuneaton’s final pre-season game proved to be a match of two hat tricks as centre forward Josh Wagg and sweeper Paul Aspley enjoyed differing fortunes in the late summer sun.

The away side started brightly and Paul Sidwell found acres of space on the right side which he fully exploited with a series of driven crosses. However, the early smell of success saw Nuneaton’s midfield advance too far and too often and after a couple of close calls, Sutton snatched a breakaway goal when Aspley touched a cross past keeper Thomas.

In an incredible five minute spell that followed this setback, Josh WAGG rattled in three goals, created by the enthusiastic running of Gilchrist, Morris, Sidwell and Moore.

More chances were spurned as Nuneaton superiority slowly descended into complacency with players ditching the basics and becoming selfish with the ball.

The price for this over elaboration was a further breakaway goal which saw a ball into the “D” flick off a Sutton stick, onto Aspley’s stick, only for keeper Thomas to misread the situation and carefully step over the ball as it trickled into the goal.

The second half was a more open affair as early season effort took its toll on both sides. Tired legs resulted in wide open spaces that the fitter youngsters on both sides were able to gallop through.

However, it was the wise head of veteran Nigel LAWTON that extended the away side’s lead as he threaded a short corner inside the keeper’s near post. He then turned provider with a left wing cross that was bundled in at the far post by a jubilant Matt CAWTHORNE.

There was still time for Paul Aspley to touch a Sutton short corner into the Nuneaton goal and secure an unusual and unwanted hat trick of own goals but the visitors were good value for the win.

NUNEATON V 1 SUTTON VII 2

Saturday saw the fifth team host Sutton Coldfield, and without a number of key players, the side was weaker than the previous week. However, again the younger members of the team coped well with the pressure.

Nuneaton were unlucky to go a goal down in the first half and quickly rallied, having the majority of play. However, the lack of experience up front did prove to be the sticking point in converting.

The home team started well in the second half and started to play the ball around, making some good advances into the opposition’s “D”. After a flurry of short corners, Mark RANDLE manoeuvred into an ideal position and converted James Pennington’s shot into the bottom corner of the goal.

Nuneaton continued with the pressure and the Sutton keeper had to make a number of vital saves to prevent the hosts taking the lead. Well done to Josh Wagg who played the second half for Sutton in goal and acrobatically turned Joshua Pennington’s shot onto the post. A momentary lapse of concentration saw Sutton grab the winner with about 10 minutes to go, but this was a good performance by all, providing a promising outlook for next week's League game.