Rainworth Mw 0 - 2 Coalville Town

Raven`s and Halloween!!

It`s been that long since Dudsey took in a match I`ve had to check up to see if the offside rule hasn`t been changed again, no excuses really Rainworth made the trip to Quorn on Tuesday night but chose not to travel (work and all that!!).

Thank God I saved some diesel money and a bucket full of frustration on that one, two nil up after thirteen minutes and chucked it down the pan, no wonder the forum seems a little vitriolic.

Forever the optimists we set off in hope to see if Rainworth can have a turn of fortune against today`s visitors. Looking at the team-sheet leaves me scratching my head a little, club captain Steve Kennedy is available but on the bench.....!!


Coalville Town are nicknamed "The Ravens", a bird who is closely associated with bad luck, this shouldn`t phase the `Rainworth Faithful` too much, good luck is something that hasn`t landed in this neck of the woods since mid-August. "Talking of the faithful"..... there`s not many of them here today, in fact it looks like the home supporters are outnumbered by about three to one.

Coalville take the kick-off and look to challenge the Wrens defence immediately via a lively looking Matthew Moore; Rainworth`s reply is pretty woeful, the usual dependable defence are in tatters and their inability to string two passes together fails to instil any confidence into my optimism.

Upfront Sean Cann, Danny Bacon and "newbie" Nathan Adams are trying to create openings but everything behind them in support is well below par today, aimless swipes at the ball result in possession being far too easily surrendered.

Timo`s got his hands full today, literally!!

Coalville`s No 11 (Anthony Carney) is sidling down the left flank and the visitors are picking up corner after corner, it`s only a matter of time before someone connects with one of the decent crosses being offered.

Not only do they seem well structured but they have a general awareness of each other and sure enough another corner allows Shane Rowlston to make one count in the nineteenth minute, heading the in-swinger beyond  Joe McCormack, 0-1.

Rowlston nods it home 0-1

Rainworth are plugging away at it but I don`t know what`s wrong here today, there seems to be a strange feel about the place, "sort of flat if you know what I mean", the lads are quiet and there is a definite lack of atmosphere.

Cann makes a good rush into the box but the semi-redundant Bowles in Coalville`s goal makes a perfectly timed dive to the feet of the Rainworth striker to deny him the chance of pulling the trigger, Sean`s not so convinced and remonstrates his penalty plea, but there`s nothing doing and that`s how it remains until half-time.

Bowles dispossesses Cann.

Dudsey`s pondering if there`s a way back for Rainworth during the break, a good dose of inspiration will have to be administered in the changing room, but it`s not impossible, well not until the fifty first minute.

The home side had the first decent chance after the restart as Mark Camm forced Bowles to make a decent save, seconds later Carney was making another good charge down the left, he threads a low ball into a busy box where Danny Quinn produced the neatest of back flicks to beat McCormack, 0-2.

It really is above The Wrens heads today.

With little in the way of hope, Rainworth decide to make changes and Coalville are quick to follow suit, unfortunately two of the subs are involved in a premature ending to the game, Lee Briggs is involved in a rather innocuous challenge which resulted in the very nimble Ryan Robbins falling awkwardly and in need of an ambulance. (Lets hope the lad is Ok). With only seconds left to play the Ref calls time early.

Despite the second goal putting the game well and truly beyond The Wrens Dudsey has to commend Nathan Adams for his efforts today but the statistics speak for themselves that Rainworth have real work to do to avoid the drop zone.   We`ll See....!!

My Men of the Match, 

Anthony Carney for Coalville and Nathan Adams for Rainworth.

Attendance 154.