BERIDGE MOVES RAVENS TO SUMMIT
LOWESTOFT TOWN 1 COALVILLE TN 2
Hawkins 46
Kee 29, Berridge 63
WITH Peterborough Sports not in league action, Coalville Town came into their game against Lowestoft knowing a point was sufficient to move to the top of the table.
On paper, the victory seemed theirs for the taking against a side struggling in the relegation places.
By the end of the 90 minutes though, the Ravens knew they had been in a game as the plucky Trawlerboys matched them for long periods.
The game itself was full of incident, with both keepers brought into action early on.
Tomasz Bukowski saved from Ryan Hawkins and Warren Burwood from Tom McGlinchey.
Midway through the first period Coalville started to get a grip on the game with Burwood twice saving from McGlinchey but the keeper had to thank the angle of bar and post to keep out a effort from Tim Berridge.
Coalville took the lead after 29 minutes with Bill Kee sending a header over Burwood and just under the bar from Luke Shaw’s dinked cross. It seemed that that goal had broken the Trawlerboys’ resistance as Burwood produced three saves to keep the score down at the break.
Lowestoft came out at the start of the second half with renewed energy and levelled the scores within 48 seconds. Firstly, Tai Fleming found Jake Reed whose shot was deflected
wide and from the corner Travis Cole’s effort was blocked by Bukowski but only to Hawkins who hooked the ball into the net.
A Kieran Higgs effort was blocked, with play switching to the other where Berridge suffered a similar fate.
Coalville scored what proved to be a winning goal with a shot taking a wicked deflection and being claimed by Berridge.
Less than five minutes later, Lowestoft were close to an equaliser as Reed beat Bukowski, but although he prodded the ball past the keeper a covering defender was able to get back.
Deep into added time Lowestoft were reduced to 10 men with the dismissal of Reed for a rash tackle on Taylor.
After the game Lowestoft manager Jamie Godbold said that his team had a point to prove. “If we continue to show that spirit we will be okay at the end of the season,” he said.