Blakenall 2 v 0 Coleshill Town

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 30th April 1977
Midland Combination Division One
Blakenall 2 v 0 Coleshill Town
Scorers: Taylor, France.


Team: ? Cooksey GK, Steve Jones (debut), Ray Nabbs, Bert Brayley, Alan Wykes, Lee Coleman (Kevin Casey debut as sub), Chris Dight, Roy Phelps, John Newey, Eddie Hanlon, Mick Patrick. Confirmed.


CASTLE BROMWICH NEWS WROTE
Quick One-Two Topples Town
Two goals in as many minutes sunk Coleshill on Saturday and enabled Blakenall to continue their race for the Midland Combination First Division championship, writes Goeff Cupples. Coleshill made a lively start with new signing Steve Jones from Atherstone prominent in attack and Blakenall's keeper Whitehouse was quickly in action, saving from both Nabbs and Jones. A penalty appeal by Coleshill was turned down and Blakenall broke away through France but his shot was saved at the foot of the post by Cooksey. Coleshill applied more pressure and when Nabbs floated in a free kick Whitehouse only partially cleared and the ball ran loose to Brayley, but he shot wide. Blakenall gained the first corner of the game in the 29th minute and while Wykes and Jones cleared the flag kick, home striker Paul France hammered the ball back into the goal area and Taylor got a deflection, to open the home account. Within a minute France had made it 2-0 racing between Wykes and Coleman, to give Cooksey no chance. Blakenall were content to defend in depth in the second half, but they were lucky when a cross by Dight was dropped by Whitehouse, only for Jones to see his shot saved by the keeper. Both sides introduced their substitutes in the 70th minute with young Kevin Casey making his debut for Coleshill in the place of Coleman and Lees taking the place of France in Blakenall's attack. Cooksey saved brilliantly from Jarrett, but Coleshill's Jones and Casey began to work some good openings and Roy Phelps headed just over the bar. Coleshill failed to break through however, and Blakenall took their unbeaten run to 18 games.

Blakenall won the League.


P33 W12 D6 L15 F40 A54 Pts30 Pos12/18