BRIGG TOWN 0 COALVILLE TOWN 2 - EVO-STIK LEAGUE DIVISION NE SOUTH

BOB TAYLOR REPORTS FROM THE HAWTHORNS

Paul Grimes returned to the Brigg Town starting line-up for the game against second placed and leading league scorers, Coalville Town. Brigg were looking to extend their recent unbeaten run of seven games. 

The kick-off was delayed for thirty minutes after the visitors had been held upon the Motorway.

The opening minutes saw both teams searching for openings and testing respective defences. After five minutes, Michael Jacklin delivered a long free kick into the visitors’ goal area but the ball ran out of play. Brigg then had the first clear scoring chance when Jordan Thewlis received a pass from Paul Grimes after a swift right wing attack but struck his shot wide of the top corner of the goal. Then Jordan Thewlis forced goalkeeper Sean Bowles into a low diving save. Brigg were having plenty of possession but the visitors always looked dangerous on the counter attack with Jordan Hempenstall always able to get his body between the ball and defender well.  Another free kick in a central position outside the penalty area for Brigg saw Paul Grimes driving the ball into the defensive wall and George Zuerner picking up the rebound to fire a defected shot over the bar.

Alex Dean got forward at every opportunity for the visitors down their right wing and struck a sweet shot over the Brigg goal after being fed by Jordan Hempenstall. Brigg responded with a long kick down the middle of the pitch from Rob Zand finding Ryan Paczkowski, who was able to win a corner kick, which was cleared after a foul was awarded against the goalkeeper. Another free kick for Brigg from Liam Dickens was headed over the cross bar but minutes later, Liam Dickens had to be withdrawn through injury and Anthony Bowsley came on as a substitute. The visitors began to threaten more in the last fifteen minutes of the half and after Jordan Hempenstall was fouled, Callum Woodward’s free kick was played to Danny Jenno, who struck a fierce shot wide of the post from twenty-five yards out. Coalville took the lead after thirty seven minutes when a long through ball was picked up outside the penalty area by JORDAN HEMPENSTALL, who evaded a tackle from Michael Jacklin and caught Rob Zand  off his goal line to send his shot into the bottom of the net from twenty yards out. Brigg’s immediate response saw a free kick from Paul Grimes go over the cross bar at the other end of the pitch. In the closing minute of the first half, the visitors almost doubled their lead after a right wing cross found Jordan Hempenstall able to strike another shot across the face of the Brigg goal but Rob Zand held on to the ball.

The second half began with Anthony Carney feeding the ball into the Brigg penalty area from the right wing for Callum Woodward to try a speculative over-head kick at goal but over  Rob Zand’s cross bar. A free kick was awarded for a foul on Anthony Carney and Jordan Hempenstall struck a long shot at goal wide. When Brigg attacked, the ball was played with pace into the penalty area and an appeal for a handling offence was turned down. After seventy minutes of play, Brigg were awarded a corner kick on the right wing and Michael Jacklin was at the far post to prod the ball into the back of the net after goalkeeper Sean Bowles dropped it at his feet but the referee unfortunately awarded a free kick for a challenge. Elliot Broughton was introduced to replace the substitute Anthony Bowsley, who was suffering still with a groin injury. Five minutes later, Coalville scored their second goal. It came from a harshly awarded free kick close to the centre circle but played out to the right wing and crossed back into the penalty area for REECE LESTER to strike a firm shot into the back of the net. Elliot Broughton was beginning to win the ball well on the Brigg left wing but got little protection  with the strong challenges against him but he did manage to deliver a telling ball across the face of the goal for Jordan Thewlis to drive wide at the far post.  The visitors were comfortable with their two goal lead and although Paul Grimes had another strike wide of the goal, they saw the game out and proved to be worthy winners of the three points. 

Brigg Town: Zand, Ashton, Matthews, Lamb, Hellewell, Jacklin, Zuerner,Dickens, Paczkowski, Thewlis, Grimes; subs - Bowsley for Dickens (32);   then Broughton for Bowsley (72), Wright, Collishaw and Fisher not used.

Attendance:      126.

Brigg now have to bounce back from the defeat against Coalville. They  take on Rainworth Miners Welfare at home on Tuesday evening before their long trip next Saturday afternoon in the second Qualifying Round of the F.A. trophy against Redditch United.