West Lancashire Premier Division
Coppull United FC started their League campaign with a trip to Blackpool to face a Wren Rovers side who always prove to be tough opposition, and this occasion would prove to be no different!
Coppull started with new number 1 Joe Leather in goal, a back 4 of Conor Whitaker, Dave Parker, Ben Morris and Nathan Bibby. In midfield it was Jay Briody and Jordan Bentham playing centrally with Jack Gooden, Nat Lindley and Jimmy McIver all supporting Greg Brickell up front. The substitutes bench included Cam Culshaw, Cam Murphy, Jordan Wilson, Alessio Degrassi and new signing Chris Holt.
As the referee blew the whistle for the start of the game, Coppull immediately went on the front foot and took the game to their opposition. Bentham and Briody were winning the midfield battle and Coppull were playing some lovely free flowing football. Two early chances came and went as Brickell was played through but his shot was straight at the keeper and then from a Mciver cross Brickell’s shot was saved by the keeper before left winger Gooden could only hit the post with the follow up. Coppull were having a lot of success out wide with Jimmy McIver and Jack Gooden beating their opposing number time and time again. The breakthrough eventually came from a Brickell cross which was met by a McIver header which left the goalkeeper with no chance. It was no sooner 1 nil than 2 nil as Coppull quickly doubled their lead. Great interchanging play on the left by Bibby, Lindley and Gooden resulted in the former finding Brickell on the edge of the area and he hit a sweet right footed strike to beat the keeper from the edge of the area, atoning for his earlier misses. Twenty minutes gone and Coppull were in cruise control, with Blackpool Wren barely having come out of the starting blocks.
It seemed as though Coppull then became their own worst enemy and took their foot of the gas allowing Blackpool Wren to come back into the game. Wren took full advantage of this lapse in concentration and when Coppull were guilty of over playing in their own half, they robbed Gooden of the ball and played through their pacey right forward who made no mistake to halve the deficit. Similarly, to Coppull earlier in the game, Wren scored again almost straight away. The Coppull defence were caught napping and the ball in behind once again left the striker with a clear run in on goal to draw the game level. Half time and Coppull had let a 2-goal lead slip, going in with the game tied.
Coppull re-grouped at half time and came out at the start of the second half with a renewed impetus and once again took their game to their opponents. Good chances came and went, as Coppull were guilty of not testing the keeper when well placed. It was another defensive error that allowed Blackpool to take the lead – a little against the run of play. A high defensive line was again punished as the Wren rapid right winger took full advantage getting in behind before slotting the ball across for the striker to tap home. To make it Blackpool Wren 3 Coppull 2. Changes were made with Wilson and Culshaw replacing Lindley and Whitaker and then Bentham came off to be replaced by Cam Murphy with Dave Parker being pushed into midfield.
More chances came and went for the Coppull side with Gooden firing straight at the keeper when well placed and Brickell missing a volley at the back post from a Dave Parker cross. Further substitutions were introduced to try and level the game with Holt and Degrassi entering the field. Alessio immediately beat his man on the right and his centre was just missed by two on rushing Coppull forwards. Holt then found Alessio with a delightful through ball which put him clean through on goal however he chose to square the ball instead of going for goal himself, and the ball was cleared by the Wren defender. In the last minute of the game Coppull had a corner which Parker volleyed against the post and to add insult to injury, Wren transitioned up the pitch with a great counter attacking move which resulted in them killing the game off with a great goal. Final score, Blackpool Wren Rovers 4 Coppull United 2. A highly entertaining game for the neutral and one where on the face of it a draw would of probably been a fair result. Ultimately Coppull paid the price for a number of individual mistakes on the day and these will need to be cut out quickly moving forward. On the plus side lots of positives to take from the game and hopefully something to build on going into Tuesday’s game vs Thornton Cleveleys at home.