Paget Rangers 1 v 1 Coleshill Town

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 24th February 1979
Midland Combination Division 1
Paget Rangers 1 v 1 Coleshill Town
Rangers: Johnny Rossiter.
Town: Tim Holland.


Team: Witts GK debut, Bruce Griffin (Forster, debut), Brendon Casey, Tim Holland, Myatt, Jonny Allen, Jeff Page.


CASTLE BROMWICH NEWS WROTE
Coleshill Pick Up Vital Point From Paget
Coleshill visited Paget last Saturday and in a close, hard fought encounter captured a point and with a little more luck may well have recorded their first win of 1979. Kicking uphill in the first half Coleshill enjoyed even exchanges, although Pager did show more method in midfield. Holland went close to giving Coleshill the lead, shooting inches over the cross-bar, but in the 16th minute Rossiter, the much traveled ex-Coleshill player shot Pager in front, after a long through ball had reached him in a suspiciously looking offside position. Coleshill replied to force two corners which brought fine saves from Sullivan. In the 36th minute Coleshill almost levelled matters when Matt volleyed goalwards from a free-kick taken by Casey, but the ball was blocked. Maintaining pressure Griffin forced another save from Sullivan and in the 43rd minute Casey chipped a great ball forward to Holland, who fired home a sharp shot into the corner of the net to equalise. The second half started with both teams playing cautiously, but Coleshill settled down to show more aggression. Both Matt and Holland saw headers go wide after crossed from Allen had split Pager’s rearguard. Pager enlivened sufficiently to test Coleshill’s new keeper Witts with some fierce shots, but Coleshill still looked more purposeful and with 20 minutes to go Foster replaced Griffin in the Coleshill attack. Several corners came Coleshill’s way and Pager were penned in their own half. Eight minutes from the end Page tapped a short free kick to Holland, but again his shot was blocked on the goal line. Holland was there again, just on the final whistle, heading a corner taken by Forster just wide. Coleshill’s manager Mervin Parsons said after the game: “I’m sure the discipline which we saw in November is now being recaptured and if we can maintain a 100 percent effort I am confident we can avoid having to seek re-election.”


P19 W1 D4 L14 F14 A35 Pts6 Pos20/20