It was the home side who made the better start to this game and, on 12 minutes Brocton mounted their first foray into the Copsewood half through a Neil Rolson dart down the left flank. His cross was met by Andy Harrison’s head and Harrison’s effort thumped against the bar. James Dyke was in close attendance though, to force home the rebound.

Copsewood were initially unfazed and continued their good approach work, but just three minutes later Steve Bennett wrestled the ball away in midfield and cleverly waited for Andy Harrison to step back on side almost on the half way line before releasing the perfect pass into his run. Harrison still had to dummy the keeper, but did so and slotted in the Badger’s second with only their second attack of the match.

Copsewood wilted and Brocton settled to their fluent best in terms of movement and passing, but amazingly after such a start, there were to be no more goals in the half despite numerous clear chances.

On 25 minutes Jon Wylde took a free kick quickly to find Andy Harrison over on the right flank. He had to work an opening to cross, but found Gary Fife in the heart of the box, almost beneath the bar. Fife volleyed the effort and managed to lift it over.

Fife nearly made amends with an assist minutes later when Steve Bennett through. Bennett’s shot could only be parried by the keeper, but he did better to smother the follow up shot from almost point blank range.

On 36 minutes with Brocton now in full attacking mode, the ball was lost in midfield and a quick pass forward and dart between defenders left the Badgers exposed to the counter attack. Mike Shelper was on hand to save bravely with at the feet of the striker in the process of shooting.

Steve Bennett and Gary Fife both had another chance in the ten minutes before the end of the half, but in both cases the keeper was able to beat the shot away from a comfortable height and in the final moments a superb cross field pass to from Andy Harrison put in matt Skinner on the left as he tore down the flank into space. Skinner went on to beat the covering full back with the aplomb of a seasoned striker, but remembered that he was a defender only as he unleashed a thundering shot over the bar.

The start of the second period saw James Dyke pick out Steve Bennett on the right and his low, hard cross was met at the far post by Andy Harrison, only to bring a save at his feet to match Shelper’s of the first half.

Harrison’s replacement, Lee Scott darted through the Copsewood back line 12 minutes into the half and managed to get past an on rushing keeper, but had to push the ball wide of the goal, enabling defenders to get back and block his eventual shot for a throw on. The throw and subsequent cross from Scott almost made amends though as James Dyke met it with a volley, just over the bar.

Copsewood clearly began to believe that they could salvage the match and had the better of the middle of this period. They were kept away from Brocton’s goal, but still did enough to make their two nil deficit look vulnerable. Gary Fife still managed two more gilt edged chances; the first a head over the bar from a Richard Reeves cross and the second a dart into the box on to a fierce Andre Campbell cross which he could not quite control.

The game was put safe with a Lee Scott penalty almost on full time when the keeper tripped Fife as he took on a Steve Bennett pass into the box.

Coventry Copsewood 0 v 3 Brocton