Woeful Willenhall

[Guest]

Saturday 16th October 2004

FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round

WILLENHALL TOWN 1 vs COALVILLE TOWN 2

 

The FA Cup is all about pride and passion and unfortunately for the Reds, they didn’t show any against their Alliance visitors.

With £5,000 prize money at stake and a place in the next round you would have expected a close encounter, and indeed it was, with challenges flying in, and neither side wanting to give an inch in the opening stages.

The Leicestershire side broke the deadlock on 25 minutes when man of the match Saunders pounced on a lapse in the Reds defence, after fighting off the attention of several recovering defenders the striker slipped the ball past Vaughan.

The host’s best chance to level came on 32 minutes, Hay turned and shot, only to be denied by a great diving save by in form keeper Bowles. From the conceded corner, a goalmouth scramble saw the ball hit the post.

For the second half the Reds took off Myers and replaced the midfielder with on loan flying winger MCGhee.

However, just four minutes in the second half, Saunders dispossessed the Reds defence and unleashed a powerful shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and went in.

With the game slipping away defender Whitcombe was replaced by striker Edwards.

On 54 minutes a 25-yard free-kick by Quilt went just over, any other time it would have at least hit the target.

Keeper Bowles was again on hand to dive at Quilt’s feet after the striker was clean through following some good build up play on 65 minutes.

Despite being two up it was the Ravens who looked the more hungry for the win and with time slipping away the Reds never looked like taking anything from the game.

However, on 82 minutes, sub McGhee threw the Unibond side a lifeline when his 25-yard free kick floated over the defence and keeper and hit the underside of the net.

The visitors then had the ideal opportunity to put the game beyond doubt, after some sloppy messing around in their own area saw by the hosts, Webb lost possession and keeper Vaughan fetched down Saunders. However, the young keeper made amends when he brilliantly saved Saunders spot kick on 86 minutes.

On 90 minutes Creighton saw his effort scrambled off the Ravens goal line, to ensure the Alliance side go into Monday’s draw and send the majority of the 285 strong crowd home miserable.

 

Reds line up; Vaughan, Colwell, Whitcombe, Thomas, Creighton, Slater, Webb, Myers, Quilt, Hay, Edwards. Subs; Tyrell, Jones, Edwards, McGhee,Curran.

 

The Reds will want to put this dire performance behind them as they face two tough away league games. On Tuesday they visit Warrington Town then Saturday sees the Noose Lane club travel to Clitheroe.