Match Report: Coalville Town vs. Stamford, 17th Sep 2011

Robbie Maddox was serving the first match of a three match suspension and so new signing Adam Hewitt started at left back. Harry Deane, back after being released by Boston, was on the bench. Lee Beeson made his 100th appearance for Stamford.

Both sides started well but the defences held firm and 15 minutes went by before either side had a chance. That came from a long ball and Coalville’s Dan Parker got on the end of it but ended up poking the ball straight to Mario Ziccardi. Two minutes later Ashley Wells chased another long ball but Ziccardi was quickly off his line to dive at Wells feet and hold the ball.

Coalville should have taken the lead on 25 minutes when a ball from Anthony Carney split the Stamford defence but with just Ziccardi to beat, Nathan Jones pulled the ball wide.

Lee Beeson set up a great move for Stamford with a good run before passing to Sam Mullarkey. He played the ball to Gary King who slid the ball under the keeper but he had drifted just offside. King and Mullarkey combined well again before Mullarkey set up Jake Gibson. The ball bobbled as he shot and the ball went past the post.

In stoppage time Gibson had an even better chance when a Stamford corner was cleared to him but his shot was well saved by Sean Bowles.

0-0 at half time was fair with neither side getting control of the game and chances had been few and far between.

Coalville carried on with their long ball game and it nearly worked when Jones got on the end of a huge clearance by Bowles but Ziccardi denied him with a superb one handed save.

Stamford started to get on top playing some good football and a good run by Mullarkey set up King but he shot straight at Bowles.

Just after the hour mark, Stamford struggled to clear the ball and it bounced around their area before Miles Chamberlain blocked a goal bound shot and the ball was finally cleared upfield.

Stamford took the lead on 70 minutes and it was a good goal from Beeson, first taking a Danny Brooks cross past a defender before shooting across the keeper.

The goal put Stamford even more on top and unsettled Coalville. They resorted to huge long balls for forwards to chase but Ziccardi played a sweeper role coming way out of his area to clear the ball. A rare Coalville chance was cleared off the line by Brooks.

Stamford doubled their lead with three minutes remaining and it came from Bowles trying to copy Ziccardi as a sweeper but without the success. With Harry Deane chasing a long ball down the touch line Bowles raced out of his area but, instead of taking the easy option of putting the ball into touch, he tried to clear it up field. The ball went straight to King who took his time, almost teasing Bowles to get back, before putting the ball into an empty net.

There was only one league place separating Stamford and Coalville at the start of the game but Stamford ended the game outplaying their hosts and controlled the second half to win the game comfortably.

Stamford: Mario Ziccardi, Matt Cook, Adam Hewitt, Danny Brooks, Miles Chamberlain, Michael Jacklin, Lee Beeson, Danny Steadman (David Staff 71), Gary King, Sam Mullarkey (Seth Burkett 81), Jake Gibson (Harry Deane 79)

MOM: Michael Jacklin

Coalville: Sean Bowles, Ashley Brown, Craig Read, Craig Attwood, Dan Parker, Chris Gray, Callum Woodward, Anthony Carney, Matthew Moore, Nathan Jones, Ashley Wells (Ryan Robbins 75). Subs not used: Richard Phillips, Leigh Everitt, Jack Thompson, Tom Langton.