Nuneaton Town 3-1 Coventry United
(Softley 53, Shilton 82, Sawyers 88: Stone 61 (p))
Att 559
Match report by Matt Jones
Nuneaton Town ended a run of three straight defeats as they overcame local rivals Coventry United at The Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Headed goals from centre back pair Luke Softley and Jacob Shilton either side of a Coventry penalty were enough to win the three points, with a late strike from Eesa Sawyers adding gloss to the scoreline on Halloween afternoon.
Nuneaton were without 5 of their normal starting 11 due to injuries and suspensions. So Stuart Hendrie lined up with Charlie Jones and Connor Pace in midfield, with James Harrison lining up against the club he had spent a few weeks with this season. Harry Wakefield was preferred to Terry Atem up top. New signings Ross Evans and Shay Dunn made the bench.
Prior to the game, The Royal British Legion who were in attendance for the annual Remembrance Day commemoration passed a wreath to captain for the day Josh Green who laid it on the centre spot, and the sad passing of Dave 'Grandad' Hodges was also marked, with a minute's silence for the former followed by a minute's applause for the latter.
Benji Adomako, who's pace was a problem for Nuneaton when the two sides last met at the Butts Park Arena in April, had the first chance of the game after 4 minutes, wriggling clear of the defence, but keeper Gabriel Bajrami was quick off his line to close down the shot.
Harry Chesterton had an effort on 8 minutes from the edge of the box, but the deflection took the sting out of the shot and it was gathered by Coventry keeper Daniel Moore. However Moore had no answer to the next effort on 10 minutes as Connor Pace wasn't closed down picking up the ball outsdie of the area, and he hit a dipping effort that came crashing off the crossbar.
Coventry earned Charlie Jones the first yellow card for preventing a quick free kick being taken, and a couple of penalty shouts were correctly waved away by the referee. Jones was involved again on 28 minutes as a clearance fell to him and he chested the ball and hit it first time towards the far corner but it dropped just wide.
In an end to end contest it was United who had the next chance, as Harry Sawyer picked up a great ball into the box on 28 minutes, but Bajrami was there again to deny the away side the opening goal.
Nuneaton hit on the break on 39 minutes, as Eesa Sawyers flew down the left, hit a crossfield pass to Josh Green who's effort was deflected for a corner. From it Shilton got his head to the ball and, having beaten the keeper, saw his effort headed off the line, followed by a baffling offside decision.
Adomako had the final effort of a goalless first half as, one on one, he beat Bajrami but also beat the near post.
Half time: Nuneaton Town 0-0 Coventry United
Nuneaton swapped strikers at half time, with Terry Atem replacing Harry Wakefield.
On 52 minutes Sawyers tried to catch the keeper out at the near post with a fizzing low effort from distance, which Moore pushed wide for a corner. From it Hendrie found Softley at the back post who hit a bullet of a header past the keeper for the opening goal (1-0).
With their tails up, Nuneaton added the pressure, and Palmer was lucky not to slice the ball into his own net trying to defend from a Nuneaton attack. From the corner, another Hendrie corner was headed back across goal by Softley but just out of the reach of Jones who could only head wide on the stretch.
At the other end Ceesay stole the ball in the box but could only hit the effort straight at Bajrami. However on the hour mark another breakaway for Coventry saw Softley harshly give away a penalty despite looking like he had made a clear touch on the ball with his last ditch tackle. Leo Stone stepped up and squeezed the penalty through Bajrami's fingertips to level the scores (1-1).
Ross Evans came on for James Harrison to make his debut after signing from Coton Green in the week. And 3 minutes later Terry Atem won a free kick on the edge of the box which Evans stepped up to take. However Josh Green tried to catch the keeper out at the near post instead which was pushed wide for a corner. Evans did have his first effort a minute later as he cut inside and got a shot on target which was held by Moore.
A few yellows for Coventry saw Downes late challenge on Green on 74 minutes, Cocks' drag back on Evans on 80 minutes, and a poor challenge from Harry Sawyer on his near namesake Eesa Sawyers on 82 minutes.
From the latter, following a substitution that saw Aaron Williams replace Hendrie, the free kick found Shilton who's header perfectly curved just inside the far post to restore the lead (2-1).
After Atem's effort across goal went wide on 85 minutes, Atem turned provider on 88 minutes as a smart turn in the box got him in behind, and his cut back deflected to Sawyers, who cut inside and slotted his effort inside the near post (3-1).
Nuneaton saw out the game comfortably to get back to winning ways.
Full time: Nuneaton Town 3-1 Coventry United
Team: Bajrami, Green, Softley, Shilton, Chesterton, Jones, Hendrie (Williams 82), Pace, Harrison (Evans 69), Sawyers, Wakefield (Atem 45)
Subs: Evans, Williams, Brown, Dunn, Atem
Next up: Corby Town (h) Tue 3 Nov - NPL Division 1 Midlands
