Coventrians - Colliery Sports Gtround

Coventrians FC

6 Bennetts Road

Coventry 

Warwickshire

CV7 8RG

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Ground Number: 1137
Saturday 3rd December 2022
Coventrians Holy Family 1-4 Sacred Heart
Coventry & District Christian League Division 1

COVENTRIANS FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The formation of the football club is unclear but the rugby part of the club was established at around the time of the First World War. Football-wise, they have been in the Midland League Division 3 which sits at step 8 of non-league or level 12 of the English league system overall. They joined in 2015 but it wasn't until last season that they achieved their best-ever finish of 3rd. The club has a whole host of teams, both male and female at all age levels. The one I was going to see was Coventrians Holy Family and they played in the off-pyramid Coventry & District Christian League Division 1. Records only go back to 2020 but Coventrians Holy Family were champions that season.  Despite that league win, they dropped down to Division 2 which they won at the first attempt. Funnily enough, it was today's opponents Sacred Heart that won Division 1 last season and both clubs now find themselves there for the current term.

MY VISIT

I was going to go up to my local ground at Holmer Green for a youth game on Thursday but in the end, I couldn't be bothered. I'd done a fair few games recently and fancied a rest, especially with all the research for this weekend. As for my research, it was a good job I double-checked as the trains didn't line up as Google Maps promised and I'd be getting up 40 minutes earlier as a result. However, this was better than discovering too late and my trip being ruined. A late change to a double in Fareham was discounted as the train journey took three hours. I thought the 35-minute stop at Leamington was bad but without my Network Railcard discount, it would have cost a disgraceful £60 for this journey. I just wished my railcard applied for the whole country rather than just the South East as £30 would have become £20 with a third off.

I was quite keen to get home from my Friday night game in Thamesmead as I had a very early start on Saturday. In the end, I arrived in just after midnight and it took me nearly an hour to get to sleep. Luckily, I can survive on four hours of sleep and despite taking a while to get going, I had a quick breakfast before leaving at 6.10. I had to get a bit of a shift on, but I was at High Wycombe station after a brisk walk around 8 minutes before my train. I purchased a ticket, which included buses for £33 and although this wasn't the greatest value, it wasn't outrageous either. I caught up with the research for this blog and was concerned by the tardiness of the away team, They'd forfeited three games already this season and only played a game more on the field. Had I seen this before penciling it in, I might have changed plans but now I would just have to hope for the best. It was a quiet and comfortable train for the first leg of the journey up to Leamington Spa, though the 37-minute stop on a chilly platform there was not what I really wanted. I killed some time 'brown ticking' the station and then went and took refuge in the waiting room. Twitter confirmed that my first game was on, though I'd have to get my skates on with the kick-off earlier than scheduled. I got to the station as scheduled but where to get the bus into town was unclear. Instead, I jogged the 15 minutes to the required bus stop with me getting there a minute before the bus. It was the 17 to Keresley that dropped me a few minutes from the ground at 9.48, allowing me to get there with just under ten minutes to spare.

 Coventrians Holy Family were 5th in the league and had won their last game, 2-1 at Christ The King. They'd also won 3-2 at Bilton Evangelical Church and 4-3 at Fisher United. They'd drawn 2-2 at Meredith Baptist Church but lost 2-0 to Christ The King (cup game), 2-1 at CLM and 3-0 to St John Fisher. They'd also forfeited a home game on 12th November against AFC Hope Church. Sacred Heart were in 7th, perhaps due to a lack of commitment as they'd forfeited three games already this season. When they had played, results had been mixed but they beat St Marks 6-3 in the cup last week. They'd also won 3-1 at CLM but lost 2-1 at Bilton Evangelical Church and 3-2 to St John Fisher. The game was played on the back pitch and I was the only one in attendance. Sacred Heart had much the better of the opening period but didn't really test the keeper. 35 minutes in, they were done on the break. Coventrians broke down the left, slotting home from a narrow angle from ten yards. Three minutes into the second half, it was all square, a shot on the turn into the bottom right corner. Two minutes later, Sacred Heart led 2-1, a spill from the keeper bundled home from close range. Sacred Heart continued to dominate and it was 3-1 on 69 minutes, a square ball from the left tapped over the line. 76 minutes saw them make it 4-1 with a drilled shot from the edge of the area.

THE GROUND

COVENTRY COLLIERY SPORTS GROUND is a good setup for the level. There are two pitches, one fully railed with dugouts and another part railed. There is also a club building for changing rooms. Parking is limited but there is a bit of street parking. Regularly scheduled buses operate from Coventry, service 16, though the service is a bit patchy. 

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