Coalville Updates

[Seamus]

Central midfield three outstanding today.

[andy]

Impressive. It looks like we're starting to believe again. The organisation throughout the team was good and players seem to be taking responsibility again. The 3 centre halfs were superb, as was Platty when called upon, and I'm sure they will be annoyed not to have kept a clean sheet. Big shout out to Lissimore, is that really his first game for us, looked like he'd been around forever. Star of the show Donnelly deserves all the plaudits today though, two great finishes and troubled them all afternoon. Miracle continues to work hard and I'm sure the goals will return. It just seems to me that game by game Russ is making this team harder to play against and keeping a relatively settled side is helping that to happen. It also helps by not making a rash of unnecessary substitutions when we are in control of a game. Really enjoyed today TBH. Bring on Oogi!

[DJ]

Southern League Premier Central – Saturday, 23rd March 2024

Halesowen Town 2 Coalville Town 1

Kieren Donnelly’s double strike steered Halesowen to victory on new manager Russ Penn’s first game in charge at the Grove, writes DJ.

Penn shared his thoughts on his first home game. “It’s been a long four and a half week wait. The lads were excellent today against a top team. We knew we had to be solid and organised and take our chances when we got them. The forward two showed energy and endeavour. We dug in well and got the rewards we deserved.”

Home goalkeeper Dan Platt rushed out to save at Terell Pennant’s feet after seven minutes, but otherwise the Yeltz kept the Ravens quiet in a solid first half performance. For Halesowen, Todd Parker’s 10th minute low shot from the edge of the area fell just past the post and Miracle Okafor struck just past the post after 24 minutes.

Jak Hickman was just denied by Coalville goalkeeper Paul White but still earned a 35th minute corner before Hickman’s 36th minute cross was also cut out. Okafor then met Hickman’s 42nd minute cross with a header but White saved. At the other end, Pennant robbed Luke Redfern but Platt reacted quickly to collect low down.

The Yeltz took the lead in first half injury time when Ash Carter was dispossessed and a through ball found DONNELLY in space to sidestep goalkeeper White before smashing into the net.

Halesowen started the second half with high intensity but had to wait until the 68th minute for another real chance when Donnelly fired just over the bar after Tom Taylor headed on from Hickman’s free-kick.

But DONNELLY soon doubled the lead in the 71st minute when he advanced to beat White from 20 yards after hard-working Halesowen won the ball in midfield.

Coalville pushed forward in the latter stages but were kept out by a battling home defence following a 73rd minute corner. Platt then collected a 79th minute chip from Tom McGlinchey but the Ravens finally hit a consolation goal in the second minute of injury time when Pennant’s shot deflected up following a corner and Eliot PUTMAN headed the rebound home from close range.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt (c); Luke Redfern, Reece Mitchell, Todd Parker, Ryan Wynter, Thomas Taylor, Jak Hickman, Kai Lissimore (Isaac Adegoke 85), Miracle Okafor, Caine Elliott, Kieren Donnelly. Subs Not Used: Jack Holmes, Richard Gregory, McKauley Manning, Ryan Boothe.

Coalville Town: Paul White; Alexander Dean, Eliot Putman, Roddy McGlinchey, Ashley Carter, Joe Doyle-Charles (c), Ashley Chambers (Timothy Berridge 67), Thomas McGlinchey (Kieran Cook 81), Terell Pennant, Wesley York (Layton Ndukwu 59), Scott McManus. Subs Not Used: Benjamin Hart, Herve Pepe-Ngmona.

Referee: David Hinton Attendance: 1,144
Booked: Doyle-Charles (68), Donnelly (86), McManus (86), Platt (90), Dean (90)
Tulleys Print HTFC Man of the Match selected by the Big Pet Store: Kieren Donnelly
Non-League Paper Man of the Match: Kieren Donnelly

[Rich]

Another 3 points on the board which is always great and an excellent crowd... but.... I found the game boring today!! Donnelly and Taylor stand out players for me but I found nothing exciting about that game. Perhaps wind played a bigger part than it looked but I was not impressed with our style of play.
Can see why our skill players like Manning and Holmes arent getting game time with this style.
I know its a new set up and next season will be the target but hope we get more entertainment going forward.. and more 3 points which I guess is the main thing

[andy]

Another 3 points on the board which is always great and an excellent crowd... but.... I found the game boring today!! Donnelly and Taylor stand out players for me but I found nothing exciting about that game. Perhaps wind played a bigger part than it looked but I was not impressed with our style of play.
Can see why our skill players like Manning and Holmes arent getting game time with this style.
I know its a new set up and next season will be the target but hope we get more entertainment going forward.. and more 3 points which I guess is the main thing

Seriously? Gosh.

[piearce9]

Well, in some ways I understand the earlier comment about being “boring” - it was a bit of a battle and there weren’t a huge amount of chances created in the 90 mins.

However, to put a spin on it, we looked solid, organised, and used a bit of canniness to see the game out, which are three of the areas which we’ve been lacking a bit over recent months.

Still not sure how many Russ will retain into next season but positive signs so far in terms of getting us well disciplined.

[Dazzie76]

I thought we defended well today apart from our left hand side being caught for pace a few times, as others have said Taylor and Donnelly were stand out performers. Fair play to Donnelly a real live wire and offered more in the air than Mirackle and puts himself about. This league is not about being pretty it's about being strong in both boxes and winning your duels. Writing looks on the wall for certain players but I think this formation will be here to stay so will not suit certain individuals currently in the building.

[Brightgoldenhaze]

Another 3 points on the board which is always great and an excellent crowd... but.... I found the game boring today!! Donnelly and Taylor stand out players for me but I found nothing exciting about that game. Perhaps wind played a bigger part than it looked but I was not impressed with our style of play.
Can see why our skill players like Manning and Holmes arent getting game time with this style.
I know its a new set up and next season will be the target but hope we get more entertainment going forward.. and more 3 points which I guess is the main thing

It goes to show it's a game of opinions, but I thought we we were good! It wasn't a classic, and the wind was a big factor I thought, but we controlled the game against a decent side.

[andy]

The last 3 posts are spot on. We showed all the attributes needed to win games. We have lacked that of late. Having just watched 2 of the supposed best sides in the world on the box, that to me was far more boring than our game.

[drummyb]

Another 3 points on the board which is always great and an excellent crowd... but.... I found the game boring today!! Donnelly and Taylor stand out players for me but I found nothing exciting about that game. Perhaps wind played a bigger part than it looked but I was not impressed with our style of play.
Can see why our skill players like Manning and Holmes arent getting game time with this style.
I know its a new set up and next season will be the target but hope we get more entertainment going forward.. and more 3 points which I guess is the main thing

Not there today due to work. Be interested to know, whether you think we would have won that game, prior to Penn's appointment. By that I mean how we were set up to play.

As a side note, by god he looks like his Dad!!!