Town pay the penalty as Ingles end unbeaten run - Match Report and Reaction: Ingles 2 - NTFC 0

Match report by Matt Jones

Ingles 2-0 Nuneaton Town
(Teeney 61, Allen (p) 86)
Attendance: 252

Nuneaton Town travelled to Thringstone just outside Coalville to take on Ingles on Saturday afternoon, looking to extend a long unbeaten run.

After resting some players in the midweek win at Birstall, Nuneaton recalled Danico Johnson to the starting 11 replacing the

unavailable Louis Baker, whilst new signing Lewis Hayden made the bench.

On a bobbly, slopy, and muddy pitch, Nuneaton started off the stronger but were unable to get some clear chances together in the opening minutes. But 5 minutes in Ingles should have took the lead. A ball into the box wasn't dealt with and Nuneaton goalkeeper Matt Hill was called upon to make an early save from close range.

A bit of handbags between the Ingles number 9 and Loyiso Recci on 16 minutes saw the pair booked.

Johnson tried an overhead kick on 18 minutes after fending off Ingles tall number 5, but it went well wide.

Stuart Hendrie pulled up on 27 minutes and was replaced by Lewis Hayden for his debut. Two minutes later Hill nearly gifted Ingles the lead, as a ball forward didn't quite reach his box, and he headed it straight to an Ingles player, who chipped it back over him, but Recci was on hand to head off the line.

On 39 minutes Cody Mullan rounded off a half of few chances as he scuffed wide from the edge of the box.

Half time:

Ingles 0-0 Nuneaton Town

Nuneaton started the 2nd half with more impetus as they looked to pressure the Ingles defence into an error. On 51 mins Hayden got a yard of space in the box but curled over. Then Carsley and Johnson had some good interplay on the left before Carsley whipped in a cross that Mullan couldn't quite flick goalwards.

Just after the hour though Ingles took the lead, as a breakaway down the left was crossed into Teeney who slotted the ball in off the post (0-1).

Harry Jackson was given the last 20 mins for Cody Mullan, and he had his own chance just 3 minutes after coming on, curling over in a good position.

Carsley went into the book for a late challenge on Nuneatons left corner, and Justin Marsden replaced Trevor Edwards for the last 10 as Nuneaton pushed for the equaliser, and they were given a golden opportunity with 6 to go, as Jackson was tripped in the box to win Nuneaton a penalty. Loyiso Recci stepped up and blasted it high and wide to the frustration of the fans.

But just a minute later disaster struck as Ingles played it forward and won themselves a penalty from Recci's goal denying tackle in the box. Allen stepped up and sent Hill the wrong way to double Ingles lead (0-2).

Nuneaton nearly immediately had a goal back in a frantic few minutes as Marsden got to the byline and his pull back was deflected goalwards by a defender, and the Ingles keeper did well to readjust quickly to tip it wide.

With Nuneaton pushing forward Ingles broke the offside trap on 90 minutes and should have made it 3 but wasted the opportunity.

Aaron Williams late challenge as Ingles kept it in the corner was the last action of the game, and Nuneatons long unbeaten run had come to an end, and they drop to 3rd ahead of Wednesday's crucial game at Bilston Town

Full time:

Ingles 2-0 Nuneaton Town

REACTION

Joint manager Darren Acton remarked after the game:

'Credit to the lads for going 17 unbeaten, we probably couldn't go through the rest of the season unbeaten, expecting to win every game. We've come here, pitch isn't the best, but credit to Ingles, they had a game plan, stuck 5 defenders behind the ball, I don't think there's going to be many teams that come here and get something with the conditions. Overall I thought the lads dug deep, and being honest I thought they did ok.'

Regarding the pitch and how it affected the game:

'I don't think this was the best pitch to play football on, I said to the lads before the game we're not going to play football here today, we need to get the ball down and get in behind them. Second half we were better at it but first half we still tried to play our game and we can't really do it on these conditions.'

On Bilston away on Wednesday:

'Yeah it's become a crucial game now, we'll go there, it could be like this again, a little bit better but I'm not sure how much better, but it'll be another tough game, I know they won today, so it's all the more for us to go and get a result.'

On Stuart Hendrie's withdrawal from action in the first half:

'Yeah Stu pulled up with his hamstring, we're not sure how long it's going to be, we'll assess that obviously over the next few days but hopefully it won't be too bad.'

On Brandon Bache's upcoming return to the squad:

'Brandon's still a couple of weeks away we think, it's nice to see him here today, he's still getting treatment, we've just got to keep assessing it and see how he is.'

On reacting to losing the unbeaten run:

'I've just said to the lads in there if we score that penalty we're back in the game, so the lads know that we've got to bounce back from it. They're a good bunch of lads they'll stick together, and they know Wednesday's a big game.'