DUNSTON PROGRESS IN THE VASE AFTER EXTRA TIME AT COLESHILL

COLESHILL TOWN 1 V DUNSTON UTS 3
FA VASE ROUND 4 @PACKLINGTON LANE
SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 2015 3PM

OVERVIEW OF PACKLINGTON RD HOME OF COLESHILL TOWN FC

A game that had everything, barring a penalty, saw Dunston progress thanks to 2 extra time goals against a Coleshill side who finished with just 8 men after three red cards had impeded their chances of progression.  The opening 90 minutes had produced two superb strikes from Dale Burrell for the visitors and a glorious equaliser from Danico Johnson which sent the game into the additional 30 minutes that proved so exciting.
The weekend started with the usual weather problems some pitches were still waterlogged and thanks to a heavy frost around base their were a stack of ground inspections planned so after much wondering about gambling with real turf we opted for the game that had been beckoning all week this delayed FA Vase round 4 tie.  Having seen Coleshill earlier on in the season when they were temporarily encamped at The Lamb Tamworth FC, while their excellent 3g pitch was installed it was a good chance to visit their base south east of Birmingham and just a goal kick away from the NEC.

PILLORY POST IN COLESHILL CENTRE

Base station saw a comfortable enough start to Leicester and a cross country train was next on the agenda to Coleshill.  Having been aware Leicester City were travelling to Aston Villa for a 5.30pm kick off we though our train at 1215 would be ok..............wrong.  As ever no allowance was made by the train company and a two carriage train was packed and you developed an affinity with sardines before you left Nuneaton.  As we approached Coleshill we were thoughtful of making the trip to Birmingham to come back on a less packed train but thankfully we did manage to extricate ourselves from the carriage somehow!
With two hours to kick off we had time we decided for a pleasant walk to the ground knowing it would take about 45 minutes and so it turned out.  Leaving the Parkway station we passed through an industrial estate area before climbing up the hill into Coleshill and taking a small deviation to take a look at the 'pillory' a post for the purpose of placing miscreants on for a good whipping.  It was missed on our first passing but we did notice it on return but it was well shielded by local business adverts.

LETS HOPE THE STICKERS COME OFF

We marched through the town and onto Packlington Lane were we turned onto the lane that soon developed into a distinctly countryside feel about it with fields abound, to the left was Coleshill Town Fc through their own smart name embossed gates and small car park.  Already parked up was the team coach and official supporters coach for Dunston UTS with most of the latters inhabitants enjoying a warm in the bar area and the odd pint of something cold!
From reading the last two blogs you may have discovered I'm becoming a moaning old git, becoming[?], but today I have to just mention the admission price.  Having seen mention of £8 adult entrance fee on the clubs twitter feed I did look twice and feel it is a little bit of a steep charge for round 4.  Coleshill normally charge £6.50 for step 5 Midland League football which is at the top end of the charge bracket however today they had added a further £1.50. 

THE BUSINESS END, SNACK CABIN!

The first person we saw today was Simon Blyth of Hinckley AFC it was really good to catch up with him for a chat and as ever we wish the supporter led club all the very best for the remainder of the season.  During the afternoon we caught up with many visitors including Bradshaw of the Tony Kempster parish, Lee Stewart and his partner who had just a few weeks ago visited Clay Cross Town FC.

MAKE MINE A LARGE CONE AS COLESHILL PREPARE THEIR WARM UP

There were many new friends to catch up with and as ever we got into some lovely conversations with those ever friendly lot from Dunston who we had previously encountered at Heanor last season, always a pleasure!

NICE VIEW FOR THE PLANE WHICH AS JUST DEPARTED BIRMINGHAM

Quick look around the ground of course a new 3g pitch has given the club an exciting outlook for the rest of the season and it looks superb and gained many envious glances from the Dunston lads.  The ground is smart but gives you a feel of a field purchased and in the process of developing.  Straight through the turnstiles and past the goals to the portable snack bar were we sampled a chip bap beyond this wagon is the small but by now packed clubhouse, which looked very welcoming.  There is a toilet block [2] to the right.  Moving around the ground the club have two port a cabin changing rooms before a hospitality cabin and then a bench seated stand.  The hard standing continues past a sunken floodlight surround, to the far goal which continues the hard standing.

The far touch line has a long scaffold induced stand with very little overhang thankfully we did not need to check out what protection it offered today.  The two dugouts are smart and of standard design for new 3g pitches the only shame here is that the smart little stand has now become a white elephant as all bar the back row of seats have their view blocked and so we arrive back at the turnstile block.

To the game and these two had come across one another two years ago with Dunston winning 2-1 at their place and 4 years ago of course they lifted the FA Vase and have since remained a strong force in the competition.

THE MANAGEMENT DUNSTON UTS DUG OUT TEAM

That atmosphere around the pitch entrance was enhanced by the visiting supporters who were here in numbers.

It was Dunston who got off to an excellent start after just 8 minutes when Burrell on the inside left lobbed the keeper with a beautiful effort with the inside of his right foot from 25 yards out a goal good enough to win any game.

DUNSTON NUMBER 4 DALE BURRELL AFTER HIS EARLY OPENER

So it looked at half time as there was to be no more goals and energetic start from Dunston had gradually been tied down by the home side and indeed they started to push the visitors back in the second period.  On 52 minutes Dimitrus Smirkle saw his effort well saved low down by visiting keeper Liam Connell.  The visiting keeper was again on top form when he saved Sam Adkins 20 yard free kick a few minutes later.
The home sides pressure was mounting and just when it looked like it may not be their day they deservedly equalised and what a goal it was.  Out on the left and cutting into the left angle of the penalty box Johnson curled one in off the right hand post to set of joyous celebrations in North Warwickshire after 85 minutes.  In injury time Coleshill were reduced to ten men when Rob Evans was shown a second yellow card for a half way line foul that could have seen Dunston break away on the home goal.  Coleshill needed to look for the winner now and Simeon Colbourne nearly found it in the fourth minute of injury time but could not connect strongly enough to finish the tie.

So we entered extra time and here it all went a little wrong for Coleshill who had more than deserved this further tilt at victory.
It was an Adkins free kick that once again saw Connell deny Coleshill before Dunston took the lead when Steven Richardson guided in an Alex Francis assist to make it 2-1 to the visitors.  Insult to injury was added a few moments later when a half way line challenge by Coleshill's Adkins on Dunston's Burrell saw referee Danny Gratton show a red card.  Within moments of the re start a very late two footed challenge on the far touchline saw referee Gratton again forced to reach for his red card and Coleshill were down to 8 men with Dean Rathbone dismissed, the game was just one more red away from an abandonment.  Thankfully after the mini melee calmed down both teams kept their heads and the game did finish, not though before we had seen end to end football with the home side valiantly battling on with reduced numbers. 
There was still time for Dunston man of the match Connell to pull of another wonderful flying save this time from live wire Johnson.  Thanks to the visitors number 1 he had kept Dunston in the game at regular intervals and now they were able to force home their 3 man advantage when Aristotte Guerin made it 3-1 to the north easterners.

As we started the second period of extra time it was Dunston who probably should have scored more with Richardson twice denied by Paul Hathaway in the home goal before his post was struck in the closing minutes.

STEVEN 'SPEEDY' RICHARDSON

So at the final whistle it was Dunston who would make the long trip to Ashford Utd in the next round and Coleshill were probably left feeling hard done too and wondering how this one got away.  Well they found a keeper on top form and a mad ten minutes that saw three of their players dismissed making it a frustrating afternoon when their comeback had looked so promising.
Quick dash to the main road for the number 70 back to Coleshill station and a surprising 5 carriage cross country train to Leicester which had seats galore.  After a delay just outside Nuneaton we arrived in Leicester late but thankfully the Sheffield bound train was also running behind time and we hopped aboard to arrive at base station just after 8pm.
An enjoyable day with a guaranteed game thanks to the smart new 3g spent in the good company of an exciting FA Vase game and at the end some happy Dunston UTS fans can look forward to an even longer trip, but you just know they will be there in big numbers as ever!

INTERESTING FLOODLIGHT BASE, REPLACES THIS WEEKS
TRANSPORT PICTURE