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Monday 5 November 2012

A Coventry double

Saturday 3rd November 2012

COVENTRIANS UNDER-21'S 3-5 HINCKLEY UNITED UNDER-21'S
Midand Combination Challenge Bowl
The Black Pad, Black Pad, Coventry

Midland Combination Challenge Cup 2nd Round
Alvis Sports & Social Club, Green Lane, Coventry

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Finally two days after the event I am getting my arse in gear to write a few words about the weekends football. It started off with a 10.30am kick-off on the north side of Coventry at The Black Pad, home of Coventrians RFC for an under-21's game in the Midland Combination Challenge Bowl between Coventrians and Hinckley United. 

There are three pitches, one rugby and two football on the site with the clubhouse and changing rooms in front of the rugby pitch, nearest to the car park. The game was played on the pitch furthest away from the club house and was not in the best condition. It (the game) turned out to be an enjoyable one with Hinckley deserving their victory, and on the balance of play should have won by a greater margin. The home side struck in the opening couple of minutes and the goal would come under the "calamity" bracket, before Hinckley dominated the rest of the first half and went in at half time 3-1 up. At the start of the second half Coventrians got a goal back to make it 2-3 and then had their best spell of the game. After the hour mark Hinckley started to take control of the proceedings and were 5-2 up before a goal in the dying seconds for the home side made it 3-5.

Adm / prog: none
Att: 24 (head count)
Coffee: 60p

It was then onto the other side of Coventry for another game in the Midland Combination, this time a  second round tie in the Challenge Cup competition between the top two in division one, Alvis Sporting Club and Cadbury Athletic.

The Alvis Sports & Social Club is one the southern side of Coventry and is home to not only the football team, but houses cricket tennis and bowls as well. A drive way takes you past the cricket pitch to a car park, and adjacent to the football pitch is the well appointed club house which looked like it had recently been refurbished. There was no hot food available as there is no kitchen, but the club had some cheese or ham batches available along with the usual bar snacks. The football pitch is fulley enclosed by metal fencing with the pitch being railed off on three sides. The two dugouts are on different sides of the pitch, while a small covered stand is on the far side. I got talking to the former match secretary who informed me that the club have plans in place for floodlights and another stand, though this one would contain seats. 

The game itself was not as enjoyable as the one earlier on in the day, mainly due to the fact that the two teams cancelled each other out for the most part. Clear cut chances were few and far between but on the balance of the play I would say the visitors deserved their victory. A goal in each half from |Ellard (38 mins) and Parker (87 mins) was enough to put the Birmingham based side into round three.

Admission: £3
Programme: none
Att: 31 (head count)

Overall an enjoyable double in Coventry and I was home by 4pm. A slideshow of thirty ground and match photos from Alvis can be viewed below:

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