Coleshill Town FC

 Unusually this was a Monday evening fixture in the Northern Premier Midlands division, vs Belper Town FC from Derbyshire. After arriving in Coleshill in very good time I parked up just off the High Street for £3.25 but was disappointed to find the high street being typical of many along the country with not a lot to see or do, probably due to the morrisons that had been plonked around the corner, regular buses into Birmingham and online shopping. It's a shame as its no good for visitors like myself and it'll get to a point where nobody visits, if it isn't already at that point. However there was a Stonehouse Carveries chain pub next to the car park where we dined, although not for a carvery they also offer pub classics. The pub was also a hotel but was tired looking and in need of a makeover but it did the job in relation to food. In fact it was one of 7 pubs along the high street area so even though the high street is dead the pub industry is thriving, contrary to reports we are constantly fed that so many pubs are closing down every day, there was no sign of that in Coleshill.

The ground is about a mile walk out of town along a country lane, it's a nice flat walk along some prosperous properties, very pitcheresque. It was noticable driving into Coleshill how close HS2 is going to be to the town, so hopefully that can bring some economic benefits to the high street too. The ground itself was also a building site, with the far side cordened off, I over heard the plan is to put some padel courts in, probably to hire out on non match days, and some corporate hospitality facilities, but it looks a long way off being finished despite the club hoping to have had it done over the summer months. On the hunt for a pin badge the social club is also in a state of mid reconstruction, although still open so as not to miss out on the revenue from alcohol sales. It was in a state of being plastered with everything all over the place really. Anyway admission was £12 and £9 and the badge was £5 I got a small portion of chicken strips and chips for £4, I thought the prices were a bit steep here but I suppose that's what you get further south in the country. The crowd was 239 with a healthy number in attendance from Belper who are traditionally well supported when at home.

The game started as a tight affair with little in it, two sides at the lower end of the table looking to push on and who maybe both think they should be a bit higher in the table. Coleshill as the home side were probably edging things with more possession and probing moves. They took the lead with an excellent pacy counter attack, three crisp passes ended with the number 10 who shot across goal into the bottom corner to give Coleshill a deserved lead. The number 7 was particularly impressive first half. The Coleshill keeper had to be alert two minutes later as the number 9 raced through, he looks an accomplished shot stopper making numerous saves throughout when called upon. However nine minutes before the break the menacing Belper number 9 forced the full back to inadvertently knock it behind for a corner, which was taken, the 9 snatched at it but the big number 5 came marauding in and made no mistake to stab home for 1.1

The second half was the complete opposite with Coleshill struggling to impose themselves and Belper growing more and more confident albeit they still lacked a cutting edge. On the hour mark the Belper number 2 hit the post with a cracking effort then five minutes later the number 9 hit the woodwork with a powerful close range shot, that was as good as it got in the second half with any momentum draining and the game just fizzled out to a stalemate, not what either side wanted as they look to push on. For Coleshill the future could look bright if they get all their new facilities finished, new owners showing plenty of ambition there and maybe one to watch in the next few seasons.