MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, DIVISION TWO
Alvis Sports & Social Club, Green Lane, Finham, Coventry CV3 6EG
9th April 2022, 3:00 Kick-Off
Today I have decided to watch the match that will determine if Coton Green will finish second in the MFL Div 2 as Cadbury Athletic have already secured top spot this season. Cadbury have opted out of promotion so Coton Green will be promoted in their stead if they get at least one point from their final game today at Coventry Alvis.
Their nearest rivals, Knowle FC are away to Barnt Green Spartak and need to win to have a chance of finishing second. This will be my first visit to this ground and I am looking forward to my trip as the weather forecast is good and it's not too far to travel.
I get to Coventry at midday and when I go for the way out at the station I end up in the new extension, which has finally been completed and it's very smart, with the exit leading out to the bus stops and the other way leads to the car parking area.
I walk out to the front of the station where there is a Tourist Information booth and pick up some leaflets about forthcoming events in this city.
I then walk to the City Centre and make my way to a cafe at the side of Coventry Market where they sell some reasonably priced meals and have my lunch there. It's popular with the locals as there is only one free table left.
As I don't have much time to have a look around I just go to a shop where they sell used electrical goods and have a look at what camera gear is for sale. Then it's back to the train station and I go to the side in Warwick Road to catch the No.9 bus to Finham where the ground is located.
15 minutes later and I have arrived in Green Lane and I find that Finham is a quiet southern suburb of the south of this city and the ground is set in a semi-rural location with houses to the north and fields lying to the south of the ground.
I soon find the sports club entrance and wander through. To my left is where the cricket pitch is situated but as the local season has not yet started, there are 3 football pitches marked out instead in this area. The road curves round to the clubhouse and to the right hand side of this can be found the car parking area.
On the other side of the clubhouse is the entrance to the main pitch.
I pay my entrance fee at the table and buy a club badge too (£3.50p) and have a quick chat with 2 friendly club officials, including the Chairman Don Corrigan.I then make my way over to the far (southerly) side of the ground, where the team dugouts are located and also there are 2 stands, one with seating for 50 spectators and a larger one with just standing room only. It's a neat little ground, with floodlights, hard standing and railings on 3 sides, with the one end having just a wire fence behind the goal.
The teams come out in both their first team colours, Alvis in light blue shirts, dark blue shorts and light blue socks, while the visitors are in all red with white trimmings.
The early exchanges are pretty even and the first real chance comes Coton Green's way, when their No.9 has a shot blocked by the keeper and it falls to the Green's No.10 Chris Lloyd but he is off balance with his attempt, his shot bounces in to the ground and hits the bar and out of play.
An early goal would have relaxed any nerves that they may have been feeling I'm sure.
It's by no means a one-sided contest but 'The Green Army' are looking the more likely to score, although they miss a good chance after 27 minutes when Chris Lloyd cuts the ball back from the bye-line but the Coton No.11 fluffs his attempted shot in front of goal.
Alvis show they are still dangerous when they quickly break down the left and their forward shoots across the visitor's goal and just wide of the far post. A few minutes later and Coton's No.11 has a close range shot smothered by the advancing Alvis keeper.
Just when I think that this half will end goalless Coton score with a header by their No.3, Joseph Smith, who dives low to connect with the ball.
(Joseph Smith , 2nd left, being congratulated by his team mates)
So it's 1-0 to the promotion chasers and on the balance of play it's a deserved reward for their efforts so far.
Coventry Alvis were founded in 1928 as the works team of the Alvis Car & Engineering Company and amongst it's products, they produced military vehicles, including tanks, hence the club's nickname of 'The Tank Men'. They played in various local leagues in the Coventry area and had good success in the Coventry Alliance before moving up to the Midland Combination and then the Midland Football League when it was formed in 2014.
So it will be interesting to see if Coton Green can build on their slender lead in the second half or will the 'Tank Men' of Alvis be able to give them a battle?
After 50 minutes, Coton Green threaten the home goal again but are thwarted by a tackle from the Alvis No.2 close to his goal. 10 minutes later and Coventry Alvis are back in the game when following a throw in from the left, they score with a shot from their No.10 I think. It's not that surprising as they seem to be a bit more lively after the interval.
Coton Green go close again on the hour mark when a looping shot hits the bar on it's way over and then Alvis sees their No.2 have a shot saved after being played in from the right.
It's the Green Army who score next when their captain Joseph Smith breaks through the middle to stroke the ball home for his and his team's 2nd goal. That's the captain leading by example!
Alvis are not going down without a fight and after 76 minutes their No.16 hits in a great shot for the equaliser following an attack down the left flank.
Coton Green go close again when the Alvis keeper has to make a good save at the feet of one of their forwards but the game finishes in a 2-2 draw which satisfies both sides.
'The Green Army' will now be playing in the MFL First Division next season and it will interesting to see how quickly they can settle in at this higher level. Coventry Alvis on the other hand are looking to end the season in a creditable 8th place and they still have the Coventry Charity Cup to go for after their great 3-0 win over MFL Div One side Coventry Copsewood in the quarter-final.
Before I leave the ground I go in to the toilet and I hear the Coton Green players loudly singing 'We're going up. we're going up...etc' in the adjacent changing room.
Entrance Fee: £4
Match Attendance: 45
Match Programme: none available
Entertainment Value: 8/10
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