Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 2000-2008 – Part 2 Contents Page No. 2005-2006 ..................................................................................... 201 2006-2007 ..................................................................................... 246 2007-2008 ..................................................................................... 281 Acknowledgements ...................................................................... 322 Nuneaton Borough 2000-2008 – Part 2 2005-06 raced on to a through ball. His first attempt was blocked by the keeper Remi Gilmartin and defender Neil Howarth just Loughborough Dynamo v Nuneaton Boro’ 19-07-2005 beat Murphy to the rebound. Reeves tried a long-range shot as Boro continued to search for a second and Frew went close Boro: Acton (Poole 45), Oddy (Noon 45), Holmes (Blenkinsopp 75), Breward (Collins 45), Moore, Love, Staff (Reeves 45), Fitzpatrick after some good work from Murphy before Glenn Tolley tired (Spencer 45), McSweeney (Frew 45), Quailey (Murphy 45), Whittaker his luck at the other end. (Saunders 75). Reeves then linked up with Murphy for a well-worked free- Boro travelled to the Nanpantan Sports Ground to play kick but Telford’s triallist goalkeeper Gilmartin was equal Loughborough Dynamo in a pre-season friendly game. to his effort. The visitors would have the last chance of a lacklustre first-half when Carter displayed his skills down the Brian Quailey had Boro’s first chance, a long-range snapshot left once again and pulled the ball back to Sean Parrish but that cleared the bar on five minutes. McSweeney then had a his shot went wide. shot palmed away before Quailey again went close, this time dragging a shot wide when he really should have done better. Ashby made four changes at half-time, introducing The pacy Staff was creating havoc in the home defence and McSweeney, Whittaker, Richard Saunders and Blenkinsopp he set up Rob Oddy for another shot at goal, but be blasted for Murphy, Frew, Spencer and Staff. Ryan Poole then over with the weaker left foot. Five minutes before half-time replaced Acton ten minutes into the second half but it was Boro eventually got the goal they had been threatening when Telford’s Gilmartin who was the busier keeper. Blenkinsopp Quailey opened his account for the season. Right on half-time created a chance for Saunders before going close with an Staff made it 2-0 when he got a just reward for his first-half opportunity of his own as the score remained deadlocked. performance. Telford threatened only sporadically with Carter again causing trouble in the Boro defence before the home Second-half substitute Gez Murphy made it 3-0 as the game side finally found a winner 11 minutes from time when moved into the last half-hour, triallist Spencer laying the goal Blenkinsopp struck a penalty past Gilmartin. There was a late on. Saunders, who came on for Whittaker mid-way through scare for Boro as Carter outjumped replacement goalkeeper the second half, then curled a shot over after turning back Poole to head goalwards but his effort drifted wide and with it inside and Martin Reeves smashed a shot into the home any hopes of a Telford comeback. defence as Boro searched for a fourth. Lamb cleared off the line as former team-mate Murphy nearly added his second Halesowen Town v Nuneaton Borough 23-07-2005 with a firm header following a Boro corner. Young striker Boro made the journey to The Grove to take on Halesowen David Blenkinsopp appeared at the end and was unlucky Town in a pre-season friendly match. not to get his name on the score sheet when he blocked Boro started the first-half in expansive fashion, with the a goalkeeper’ clearance. Saunders wasted another good midfield quartet of Michael Love, Matty Collins, Mark Noon chance late on when he seemed to have too much time on and Martin Reeves looking sharp and they soon stamped the ball but Dynamo created little all evening and Boro ran their authority on the game. New signing David Staff went out easy winners. close after a neat exchange after seven minutes, and just afterward Staff was back in action, this time curling a free- Nuneaton Borough v AFC Telford 20-07-2005 kick just wide. Boro: Acton (Poole 55), Oddy (Fitzpatrick 63), Holmes, Noon, Moore, Boro looked threatening from set pieces, typified by another Love, Spencer (Whittaker 45), Reeves (Breward 63) Frew (McSweeney free-kick from former Leicester City man Reeves fizzing 45), Murphy (Blenkinsopp 45), Staff (Saunders 45). wide. Halesowen’s Dave Haywood created controversy Telford: Gilmartin, Andrewartha, Craven, Cudworth, Howarth, Courtney, Parrish, McNally (Charlie 55), Alexander (Ryan 55), Tolley, when his challenge on Rob Oddy left the Boro man requiring Carter. Subs: Wheeler, Drysdale, Griffin. treatment, and the full-back was ultimately replaced by Gary Fitzpatrick after 40 minutes. Brian Quailey almost got on the Boro welcomed AFC Telford to Manor Park to play a pre- end of a Frew cross just before the interval. season friendly game. The Yeltz came out firing on all cylinders and soon imposed After a slow start to proceedings Telford began to apply themselves on the game. Former Halesowen player Andy some pressure to the Boro defence with the nippy Alfie Spencer came on for Boro with an hour gone, replacing the Carter in particular causing problems. His trickery led to a lively David Staff. The home side began to turn the screw Telford corner and with Boro unable to clear, striker Darren as Boro rang the substitutions with David Blenkinsopp, Gez Alexander capitalised, lashing a shot past Boro keeper Darren Murphy, Ryan Poole and Rich Saunders entering the fray. Acton. However, their lead lasted only two minutes, as Boro The only goal of the game was scored by Halesowen after attacked down the left and Reeves’ cross was met by a 72 minutes when a deep cross from Lamey found Farmer in precision header from Frew to make it 1-1. In the next minute, space to head home. The last chance of the match fell to Boro Boro had the ideal opportunity to take the lead as Murphy when Blenkinsopp headed wide in the final minutes. 201 Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 2000-2008 – Part 2 Quailey, and Oddy came on for Staff. Oddy was the busier Coalville Town v Nuneaton Borough 26-07-2005 of the three as Boro took their foot off the gas in the second Boro made the journey to Owen Street to play Coalville Town period and Poole was the first keeper to be tested, saving at in a pre-season friendly game. the feet of Rugby’s David Stone as he chased a hopeful long Boro had chances to score in the first 45 minutes when David ball. Blenkinsopp had Boro’s first chance after the restart, firing Staff and Gez Murphy failed to find the target. just wide ten minutes into the half before McSweeney looped a header over. The young strikers linked up well a minute later There were even fewer chances after the break when striker with Blenkinsopp’s close-range shot deflected wide and Wilson Kevin Wilkin was used as a makeshift defender, replacing had to punch the resulting corner away from under his bar. James Holmes. Other second half changes saw Richard Saunders replace Murphy and Michael Frew came on for Brian Stone missed two golden opportunities in quick succession Quailey as Boro pushed for a winner. The goal that won the for Rugby as Boro absorbed the pressure with the clock game for the visitors was scored by Neil Moore, who headed running down. Further Rugby chances went begging before home the 89th minute winner. Breward’s shot from distance flashed wide of the upright. Boro Go Down At Ibstock Nuneaton Borough v Wolverhampton W. 01-08-2005 A team consisting mainly of triallists, with the exception of Michael Frew, went down 3-1 to Ibstock Welfare. Boro’s goal Boro: Acton, Oddy, Love, Reeves, Moore, Wilkin, Collins, Noon, was scored by Frew. Murphy, Quailey, Whittaker. Subs: McSweeney, Poole, Holmes, Blenkinsopp, Breward, Fitzpatrick. Rea Signs Wolves: Ikeme, Little, Rafferty, Flynn, Riley, Lowe, Gobern, O’Connor, Nuneaton Borough have secured the signature of 28-year-old Ganea, Cornes, Ndah. Subs: Higgins, Hennessey, Taylor, Fitzpatrick, Jones, Hughes. Simon Rea, who has made more than 150 Football League appearances with Peterborough United and Cambridge Boro welcomed Wolverhampton Wanderers to Manor Park to United. Coventry-born Rea began his footballing career with play a pre-season friendly match. Birmingham City in 1995 before spending a short time on Boro were quick out of the blocks as Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme loan at Kettering Town after which he joined The Posh. collected a hopeful Stuart Whittaker cross and Lowe made Rugby Town v Nuneaton Borough 30-07-2005 a timely interception to prevent Brian Quailey reaching a delightful Matty Collins through ball. At the other end Lewis Boro: Poole, Staff (Oddy 45), Love, Wilkin, Moore, Collins, Reeves, Gobern was causing problems in the Boro defence and Oddy Noon (Breward 70), Whittaker, Murphy (Blenkinsopp 45), Quailey had to turn the youngster’s cross over his own bar to clear the (McSweeney 45). danger. Kevin O’Connor carved through the Boro defence and Boro made the journey to Butlin Road to play Rugby Town in crashed a shot against the Boro bar, via the fingertips of Acton. a pre-season friendly match. Acton made a tremendous double save from Lowe following After early efforts from Quailey and Moore, Staff had the ideal the resulting corner but Boro responded in the perfect opportunity to put Boro one up but he misdirected his long manner to go 1-0 up in the 15th minute. Oddy won the ball range shot. Boro dominated play with Rugby struggling to from a Wolves defender and after a series of mis-hits from get out of their own half and Matty Collins looked as if he was first Collins and then Martin Reeves the ball found its way to brought down in the box but his penalty appeal was waved Murphy who had the easiest of tap-ins.