Town do the double on Greens to close in on title - Match Report & Reaction: NTFC 4 - Coton Green 2

Match report by Matt Jones

Nuneaton Town 4-2 Coton Green
(Somel 9, Carsley 32, 47, Marsden 90+4: Hunt 28, 68)
Att 561
Match day sponsor: Lance Edkins & Family
Match ball sponsor: Mark Sheldon
Corporate sponsor: Crown Waste Management

It was a glorious spring day at the Oval as Nuneaton Town welcomed rivals Coton Green down the A5.

Nuneaton named the same eleven that started the away match at the Greens just 3 and a half weeks ago. Coton Green started with 28 goal striker Oliver Roome, signed from Stapenhill a month or so ago, and he was nearly on the scoresheet within 2 minutes as a ball into the box found him with an opportunity for a free header, but he somehow didn't make contact with the ball as it bounced wide.

A couple of corners on 7 minutes came to nothing for Town, before the Greens had their own efforts. On 9 minutes, a goal kick up field from Brandon Bache was taken expertly by Danico Johnson, and he spotted Declan Somel making a great run and found him with a deadeye through ball, Somel made no mistake in slotting home for the opening goal (1-0).

If it looked to be another game Town would run away with, Coton showed why they are 3rd in the league and looking to secure a play off place, as they got themselves back into the game. First a corner hit the bar on 16 minutes, and Harry Dixon's shot was saved by Bache on 21, but then another corner was won on 28 minutes, and Matthew Hunt was able to get his head to the ball above his defender to equalise (1-1).

Luke Francis had an effort on 31, but fired over trying to curl into the top corner, but from the goal kick Nuneaton worked the ball forward as Stuart Hendrie found Cody Mullan on the right side of the box, and his low ball across was turned home by Callum Carsley as Town retook the lead (2-1).

On 35 minutes Nuneaton had a quick chance to double their lead, as Stuart Hendrie pounced on a ricochet off the defender and was clattered by goalkeeper Lewis Landers in the box who was fortunate to only receive yellow. However Landers made up for his error by excellently pushing Loyiso Recci's penalty wide of his left hand post in the last significant chance of the half.

Half time: Nuneaton Town 2-1 Coton Green

Nuneaton were looking for an early chance in the second half to get the third goal they needed for comfort, and it took less than 2 minutes to find it. Johnson received a ball forward and turned it round the corner to Hendrie as he got a painful collision from the defender. Spruce's ball across the box missed everyone but Carsley was on hand at the back of the box to slam the ball into the corner (3-1).

On 57 minutes James Harrison entered the field, replacing James Spruce, and had a chance within seconds, heading over from Carsley's free kick. Dixon still looked dangerous at the other end, testing Bache with a low effort in the box.

With Aaron Williams replacing Cody Mullan on 64, Coton Green won a debatable corner on 68 minutes, and made the game nervous again as Hunt once again was given too much space in the box to head in past Bache (3-2).

On 83 minutes, Carsley latched onto a ball over the defence and slotted home, but was denied a first Town hattrick by the offside flag.

With Coton Green pushing for an equaliser they won a free kick on the edge of the Town box on 88 minutes and handbags ensued, the referee handed out yellows like Christmas cards as he booked 2 players on each side at once, Perkins and Recci the two Town players booked. The free kick was blocked by the wall.

Coton substitute Tom Weale provided his own threats with long throws into the box, and Hunt could have had a hattrick himself but he headed one of them straight into Bache's gloves.

James Harrison was booked on 93 minutes for a late challenge. From the free kick the ball into the box was cleared away by Harrison and he showed great pace with his fresh legs to chase his own ball forward down the right, his ball across the box was intended for Johnson, but he showed incredible awareness to dummy the ball to Justin Marsden who had made the run on the left on his own, and he slotted into the bottom corner to seal the points (4-2).

Marsden had become the third and final Town substitute of the day, replacing Hendrie on 76 minutes, and it was a late birthday present for him, having turned 41 the day before.

The full time whistle blew and the double over Coton Green was complete, and barring an incredible turn of events, the title race is down to just two, Heather St John's the only side standing in the way of a first league title to head to Nuneaton in 26 years, just 9 more points needed.

Full time: Nuneaton Town 4-2 Heather St John's

Team: Bache, Edwards, Recci, Perkins, Carsley, Currithers, Somel, Mullan, Hendrie, Spruce, Johnson

Subs: Williams, Marsden, Harrison, Lamb, Thorpe

REACTION: Joint manager Darren Acton reflected on a competitive match: