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29th
August
2004
Gornal Athletic 0 Coseley Town 0 (Sat 28/8/04) You don't win anything with kids. So said Alan Hanson about Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Butt etc. Well, what does he know? And Gornal Athletic are hoping to prove the mouthy Scot wrong again this season. Dispensing with the tried and trusted Management team of Tony Wall and Martin Thomas, whose footballing contacts and tactical guile has propelled the team back into the West Midlands Premier League, Peacocks Chairman Chris Smith has made the brave but controversial decision to put his faith in the Gornal junior system. So my first visit of the new season to Garden Walk yesterday was unfamiliar territory, with almost all of last year's successful side long departed and the team sheet packed instead with the core of Gornal's youth talent. Still, initial reports have been promising, with three fighting draws to open the campaign, and team spirit seemed high before the match with the lads locked in an Arsenal-style spirit-lifting huddle. Their opponents were fellow Garden Walk tenants Coseley Town, better known as Sedgley White Lions, who failed to win a game last season and have begun the new one in the same vein. The spectator count was encouraging compared to last year's dismal attendances, although it was in effect a home match for both sides so it remains to be seen whether this trend will continue. The first half was notable only for the amount of match balls hoofed agriculturally into neighbouring back gardens, with long and hopeful punts the order of the day. Only Gornal's centre forward Calum Martin rose above the mediocrity on display from both teams, with the occasional incisive run and deft touch. Coseley, physically unimpressive and devoid of ideas, rarely troubled the Peacocks defence, but for their part Gornal lacked the confidence to capitalise on this and failed to give striker Martin the service required to penetrate the away team's back four. The midfield of both sides was absent without leave, so the up and unders continued relentlessly and the match ball sack was diminishing alarmingly in size as more and more disappeared over the boundary fences. On the stroke of half time Coseley made a rare venture into the Gornal goal-mouth and the ensuing scramble startled the Peacocks into life, with Calum Martin threading a useful ball through to Matt Edwards, who could not beat the goalkeeper on this occasion. The second half saw Coseley surprisingly start the brighter, but Gornal upped their tempo a shade to cancel this out, forcing a couple of finger tip saves from the visitors' diminuitive keeper. While generally on top throughout the match, Peacocks never completely subdued a Coseley team who were gaining in confidence. Towards the end of the match there were one or two moments of concern when a defensive slip here or unlucky bobble there might have handed Coseley the goal they needed to break their year long duck, which would have been a severe embarrassment to a Gornal side that ought to have dominated their weaker opponents. With ten minutes or so left, Calum Martin was inexplicably substituted, eliminating any chance of a late Peacocks surge. Even referee Mr. Gerrard of Shrewsbury - who had a generally good game - appeared to lose the will to live at this point, and blew for time a couple of minutes early. So overall a disappointing performance from Gornal. Worse - from a supporter's point of view - it was unentertaining, which could not often be said of Richard Upton's relegated outfit two years ago, let alone the accomplished championship winners last season. On the plus side, the Peacocks are unbeaten in their first four games and have something to build on. They worked hard for each other, and captain Dave Bate - a rare survivor from the Wall/Thomas side - was industrious and vocal in his encouragement of the younger players. Just one or two of the classier members of last season's first eleven injected into this team (an Andy Tiernan in midfield for instance!) would make all the difference in these close and dull encounters, and Gornal Manager Simon Williams will hopefully be scouring the local scene for the comparatively minor improvements that could transform this team from 'bottom third of the table' candidates into the 'top six' side demanded by Peacocks' Chairman Smith. www.gafc.org.uk sport@yampy.co.uk. --> |
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