FA Vase 5th Round - Cleethorpes Town 3 Atherton Collieries 2
Sat 28th January 2017 | FA Challenge Vase | By Ian Templeman
A stoppage time winner from Cleethorpes Town's Matty Coleman sealed their place in the quarter finals of the Buildbase FA Vase, and in turn ended Atherton Collieries' memorable run in the competition.
It was an outcome that was difficult to take for everyone in the visiting camp given that, for much of the afternoon, Colls had looked the likelier side to book a place in the last eight.
Two goals up and cruising as half time approached, Colls conceded with seconds remaining of the first half, and when Cleethorpes Town drew level just after the restart, it was well and truly game on.
None the less, Colls continued to enjoy plenty of possession in an increasingly end to end affair, and always looked as if they still had another goal in the armoury.
But, as the clock moved on to the third of five minutes stoppage time added on by the fourth official, Coleman popped up to finish from close range in a dramatic finale to deliver a thumping and fatal blow when it mattered to Michael Clegg's men, and send them out of the competition in heartbreaking fashion.
Looking at the form of both sides coming into the tie, it never seemed destined to be a mundane affair, and so it proved.
With both teams at the top of their respective leagues, it meant that in the non-league arena this was a clash of titans, and that being the case it's hardly surprising that the first in a plethora of talking points to emerge from a fascinating and engrossing game arrived within four minutes, when Colls opened the scoring.
A clumsy challenge by home full back Tim Lowe sent Gareth Peet crashing to the turf over on the left wing, and from the resulting free kick Mark Truffas sent in a wickedly curling cross that Mark Battersby rose to meet and glance a header into the corner of the net.
It was a goal that was greeted with gusto by a noisy and vocal Colls support behind the goal, who created their own special atmosphere that involved inflatable musical instruments and vocal chords well lubricated by local ales consumed in nearby pubs in the hours before the game.
They certainly had plenty to get vocal about in the opening stages of the game, with Colls' assured start clearly unnerving a home side that are used to winning games, and who never had a sniff of goal until the 15th minute when a long ball found Liam Davis whose well struck volley was beaten away by Colls keeper Adam Reid.
But it was undoubtedly the visitors who looked more comfortable on the ball and more threatening in attack, and after Mark Truffas shot just wide of the post, neat footwork from Brad Cooke created him the opportunity to test Cleethorpes Town keeper Liam Higton who reacted quickly to push away Cooke's well struck effort.
As the half hour mark passed , and Truffas and Battersby both came close with shots from the edge of the box, Cleethorpes manager Marcus Newell obviously decided enough was enough and made a tactical substitution, taking off one striker Andy Taylor and replacing him with another in Brody Robertson, who had scored twice late on in Town's 2-1 win over Bootle in a Third Round tie in December.
But it failed to stem the flow of Colls attacks and the visitors' pressure finally paid off with a second goal four minutes before the break, and a beautifully worked and well taken effort it was too.
Gareth Peet picked up a loose ball on the left wing, played a neat one-two with Mark Battersby, and advanced into the box before burying an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner of the net.
It was no more than Colls deserved on the run of play up to that point, and it looked like it could be a killer blow to a Town team that had failed to live up to the reputation as league leaders by ten points in their own league.
But a minute before the break, the Colls travelling contingent were stunned into silence when Cleethorpes pulled a goal back, a cross into the box being missed by Reid under pressure from Town centre forward Marc Cooper and Liam Davis, lurking unmarked at the far post, turned the ball into the net from close range.
Although a 2-1 half time lead was one that Colls would certainly have settled for before the game, it couldn't be denied that the score was not an accurate reflection of the run of play over the opening 45 minutes, and anyone nurturing nagging suspicions that the goal could prove to be a game changer was proved correct within six minutes of the restart when Cleethorpes drew level.
Once again it was the lively Liam Davis who was the thorn in the Colls defence, with a run and shot that took a deflection of Colls defender Josh Messer on its way past Reid into the net.
Unabashed, Colls continued to press forward with Cooke and Truffas having chances before they spurned two more great opportunities on the hour mark.
A run and cross from Ben Hardcastle led to Brad Cooke hitting the bar with a header, and the ball rebounded into the path of Mark Battersby who rifled a shot across the face of goal.
Play began to flow from end to end as the half wore on, with Cleethorpes favouring early balls forward towards their front men, while Colls kept up their patient passing football building up from the back.
As the game entered the last ten minutes, Colls were forced more on to the back foot as Cleethorpes began to turn the screw, and when a long ball forward caught out the Colls defence, Cleethorpes centre forward Cooper came close with an effort that beat Colls keeper Reid but just crept wide of the far post.
Three minutes from time, Reid was almost caught out by a Liam Davis cross from the left, the keeper scampering back to push the ball onto the crossbar and away to safety.
But as the game entered stoppage time, the home side delivered what turned out to be a fatal blow to Colls.
Town substitute Jon Oglesby tested Reid from distance with a shot that the keeper pushed away for a corner, and when the resulting kick was floated into the box Matty Coleman was on hand to turn the ball into the net from close range to spark wild celebrations among home supporters and players alike.
It was a crushing end to a game that for long periods Colls appeared to have under their control.
But if there is any consolation to be had for Colls, they represented the club and the league magnificently, and played their part in a game that was – as is so often the case in the latter stages of the Vase – an excellent advert for non-league football.
Colls manager Michael Clegg was understandably disappointed as he reflected afterwards on the afternoon's events.
"For long periods I thought we had control of the game, and it's been the last five minutes of both halves that has killed us", he said.
"If we had come in at half time 2-0 up, that game was won.
"I thought we controlled the second half, we missed an open goal and hit the woodwork at 2-2, and missed some decent chances.
"We don't believe we deserved to lose, and it hurts because we aren't used to losing. It's our first defeat in a long time and it's hard to take.
"But obviously you just take on the chin and go again, and we'll come back stronger".
FA Vase 5th Round - Cleethorpes Town 3 Atherton Collieries 2
Sat 28th January 2017 | FA Challenge Vase
By Ian Templeman
A stoppage time winner from Cleethorpes Town's Matty Coleman sealed their place in the quarter finals of the Buildbase FA Vase, and in turn ended Atherton Collieries' memorable run in the competition.
It was an outcome that was difficult to take for everyone in the visiting camp given that, for much of the afternoon, Colls had looked the likelier side to book a place in the last eight.
Two goals up and cruising as half time approached, Colls conceded with seconds remaining of the first half, and when Cleethorpes Town drew level just after the restart, it was well and truly game on.
None the less, Colls continued to enjoy plenty of possession in an increasingly end to end affair, and always looked as if they still had another goal in the armoury.
But, as the clock moved on to the third of five minutes stoppage time added on by the fourth official, Coleman popped up to finish from close range in a dramatic finale to deliver a thumping and fatal blow when it mattered to Michael Clegg's men, and send them out of the competition in heartbreaking fashion.
Looking at the form of both sides coming into the tie, it never seemed destined to be a mundane affair, and so it proved.
With both teams at the top of their respective leagues, it meant that in the non-league arena this was a clash of titans, and that being the case it's hardly surprising that the first in a plethora of talking points to emerge from a fascinating and engrossing game arrived within four minutes, when Colls opened the scoring.
A clumsy challenge by home full back Tim Lowe sent Gareth Peet crashing to the turf over on the left wing, and from the resulting free kick Mark Truffas sent in a wickedly curling cross that Mark Battersby rose to meet and glance a header into the corner of the net.
It was a goal that was greeted with gusto by a noisy and vocal Colls support behind the goal, who created their own special atmosphere that involved inflatable musical instruments and vocal chords well lubricated by local ales consumed in nearby pubs in the hours before the game.
They certainly had plenty to get vocal about in the opening stages of the game, with Colls' assured start clearly unnerving a home side that are used to winning games, and who never had a sniff of goal until the 15th minute when a long ball found Liam Davis whose well struck volley was beaten away by Colls keeper Adam Reid.
But it was undoubtedly the visitors who looked more comfortable on the ball and more threatening in attack, and after Mark Truffas shot just wide of the post, neat footwork from Brad Cooke created him the opportunity to test Cleethorpes Town keeper Liam Higton who reacted quickly to push away Cooke's well struck effort.
As the half hour mark passed , and Truffas and Battersby both came close with shots from the edge of the box, Cleethorpes manager Marcus Newell obviously decided enough was enough and made a tactical substitution, taking off one striker Andy Taylor and replacing him with another in Brody Robertson, who had scored twice late on in Town's 2-1 win over Bootle in a Third Round tie in December.
But it failed to stem the flow of Colls attacks and the visitors' pressure finally paid off with a second goal four minutes before the break, and a beautifully worked and well taken effort it was too.
Gareth Peet picked up a loose ball on the left wing, played a neat one-two with Mark Battersby, and advanced into the box before burying an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner of the net.
It was no more than Colls deserved on the run of play up to that point, and it looked like it could be a killer blow to a Town team that had failed to live up to the reputation as league leaders by ten points in their own league.
But a minute before the break, the Colls travelling contingent were stunned into silence when Cleethorpes pulled a goal back, a cross into the box being missed by Reid under pressure from Town centre forward Marc Cooper and Liam Davis, lurking unmarked at the far post, turned the ball into the net from close range.
Although a 2-1 half time lead was one that Colls would certainly have settled for before the game, it couldn't be denied that the score was not an accurate reflection of the run of play over the opening 45 minutes, and anyone nurturing nagging suspicions that the goal could prove to be a game changer was proved correct within six minutes of the restart when Cleethorpes drew level.
Once again it was the lively Liam Davis who was the thorn in the Colls defence, with a run and shot that took a deflection of Colls defender Josh Messer on its way past Reid into the net.
Unabashed, Colls continued to press forward with Cooke and Truffas having chances before they spurned two more great opportunities on the hour mark.
A run and cross from Ben Hardcastle led to Brad Cooke hitting the bar with a header, and the ball rebounded into the path of Mark Battersby who rifled a shot across the face of goal.
Play began to flow from end to end as the half wore on, with Cleethorpes favouring early balls forward towards their front men, while Colls kept up their patient passing football building up from the back.
As the game entered the last ten minutes, Colls were forced more on to the back foot as Cleethorpes began to turn the screw, and when a long ball forward caught out the Colls defence, Cleethorpes centre forward Cooper came close with an effort that beat Colls keeper Reid but just crept wide of the far post.
Three minutes from time, Reid was almost caught out by a Liam Davis cross from the left, the keeper scampering back to push the ball onto the crossbar and away to safety.
But as the game entered stoppage time, the home side delivered what turned out to be a fatal blow to Colls.
Town substitute Jon Oglesby tested Reid from distance with a shot that the keeper pushed away for a corner, and when the resulting kick was floated into the box Matty Coleman was on hand to turn the ball into the net from close range to spark wild celebrations among home supporters and players alike.
It was a crushing end to a game that for long periods Colls appeared to have under their control.
But if there is any consolation to be had for Colls, they represented the club and the league magnificently, and played their part in a game that was – as is so often the case in the latter stages of the Vase – an excellent advert for non-league football.
Colls manager Michael Clegg was understandably disappointed as he reflected afterwards on the afternoon's events.
"For long periods I thought we had control of the game, and it's been the last five minutes of both halves that has killed us", he said.
"If we had come in at half time 2-0 up, that game was won.
"I thought we controlled the second half, we missed an open goal and hit the woodwork at 2-2, and missed some decent chances.
"We don't believe we deserved to lose, and it hurts because we aren't used to losing. It's our first defeat in a long time and it's hard to take.
"But obviously you just take on the chin and go again, and we'll come back stronger".
