Coleshill Town are todays visitors at the Recreation ground as Cadburys return to   league action after some seven weeks without a league match.It only took 8 minutes for Cadburys to revive their familiar habit if gifting early goals to the opposition when a high looping ball caused some confusion between Adam and Freddie, which resulted in Freddie heading the ball over Adam for a comical own goal.

Cadburys should have been on level terms after 15 minutes when Andy won the ball in midfield and sent two players the wrong way with a delightful turn then went past two more players and played a lovely ball through to Matt B who unfortunately put his shot past the post, however Matt redeemed himself 5 minutes later when he received the ball from Christian and this time he made no mistake when he beat the keeper with a low drive to level the score.

Andy went close a minute later when he sent an angled drive just past the post and the following minute Craig set up a chance for Matt B when he sent in a good shot on the turn, which was well saved by the keeper. Cadburys took the lead on 23 minutes when a free kick by Freddie was deflected on to the bar and cleared out to Craig who hit a shot back in that deflected of a defender past the keeper. Coleshill had a free kick on the half hour, which brought out a good save from Adam when he tipped the ball over the bar. The rest of the first half was fairly even until Coleshill had a shot that deflected off Chris and looped over Adam and dropped in the goal to bring the half time score to two all.

Cadburys got off to a great start in the second half when Matt B had the ball in the net after just 3 minutes when he went past 2 defenders and drove the ball home to restore Cadburys lead. Christian went close on 56 minutes when he burst through the middle of the park and hit a good shot that was well saved by the keeper, he went close again 10 minutes later but this time he sent his shot over the bar. While Cadburys were probably the more dominant side Coleshill were always looking dangerous on the break and while there was only one goal between them it made for an exciting second half. Cadburys finally made the game safe in the 80th minute when Andy played the ball through to Matt B only for him to hit his shot against the bar but he was quickly on to the rebound and slotted the ball home for his hat trick, this must have totally deflated Coleshill as Matt scored again a minute later when he pounced on to a loose ball and rounded the keeper to give Cadburys a 5-2 win.  

Cadburys travel to CCC’s for the 3rd round of the Open Cup, with CCC’s flying high in division one this was going to be a tough challenge for the first game back after a six week period with out a game.
The first period was fairly evenly matched as both teams battled to impose themselves on the game, Cadburys had a couple of attempts on goal when James saw a header go wide and Christian had a shot go over the bar, a well worked short corner saw Nobby sent the ball in to Chris who had his header cleared off the line. CCC’s had the ball in the net in the 26th minute but it was disallowed for offside. Craig sent in a great corner a minute later that was scrambled off the line by the keeper. CCC’s worked the ball down the left in the 35th minute only for their player to shoot over the bar.
Cadburys made the break through just before half time when Christian picked the ball up in defence and burst through the middle of the park and played a good ball out to Matt L who crossed the ball in to Danny who got in front of his marker and drove the ball past the keeper to put Cadburys one up.

Cadburys increased the lead after 12 minutes of the second half when Craig played the ball down the left hand side to Danny who passed the ball in to Matt B who turned inside his marker and beat the keeper with a great strike just inside the post. CCC’s tested Adam with a high looping shot in the 57th minute but he was able to deal with it comfortably.
Probably the best bit of football came on the hour when Andy won the ball in midfield and played the ball out to Danny and he carried the ball down the left and passed it in to James who played it through to Matt B but unfortunately he hit his shot straight at the keeper. Cadburys increased the lead further on 67 minutes when James chased down a long ball down the right and burst in to the area and drove the ball across the keeper for a great finish. CCC’s had a free kick in the 76th minute, the ball was played in to the area and put in to the net but the player was in an offside position. Cadburys completed the scoring on 77 minutes when a throw in went to Matt B and he sent a tremendous curling shot in to the top corner of the net

Cadburys travel to Shenley for the return league fixture that they could do with winning so they could stay in touch with the early season pacemakers. It didn’t take Cadburys long to get in to their stride as they continue to give away early goals to the opposition, This one came after just two minutes as Shenley took a speculative long throw in to the area and some shocking defending allowed the ball to run to an unmarked player to fire the ball home.
It took Cadburys ten minutes to recover when Craig played the ball down the left to Matt B and he worked the ball to James who drove the ball across the goal for Andy coming in at the back post to pick his spot between the goalkeeper and defender to level the score.
Cadburys worked the ball down the right a few minutes later when Andy sent the ball in to Christian who saw his shot go just over the bar, Shenley responded with a break down their left which was thwarted by a great save from Adam. A few minutes later Craig burst down the left side and sent in a good cross to the back post that was sent wide of goal by Andy. Shenley had a free kick on 21 minutes, which was headed on to the roof of the net.
 Cadburys managed to get their noses in front after 25 minutes when Christian picked out Matt B who worked the ball in to the area and beat the keeper with a low drive just inside the near post.
The lead only lasted for 5 minutes as Shenley were gifted another free kick which was sent in to the area and as Cadburys failed to clear the ball it was turned in over Adam to bring the score level at two all.
Cadburys were denied a clear penalty in the closing stages of the first half when a shot by Matt B was handled in the area unfortunately it was missed by the referee.

The early stages of the second half saw Shenley go close on a couple of occasions when a free kick was saved by Adam and a break down the left saw a shot go in to the side netting but the closest they came was on the hour when a shot hit the post and went wide. Cadburys response a few minutes later saw a free kick by Nobby go just over the bar and Danny was through one on one with the keeper in the 73rd minute but he was unable to get the ball past the advancing keeper.
Shenley took the lead in the 75th minute when they worked the ball down the left hand side and got in behind the Cadbury defence and finished with low angled drive at the near post.

At last Cadburys seemed to show the desire to get something out of the game and pegged Shenley back in their own half as they went close with a couple of free kicks and a corner that was headed just over by Chris and as the game was in the dying minutes Christian picked up the ball just inside the Shenley half and charged his way through several tackles and as he burst in to the penalty area he was brought down by two defenders and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot for the penalty, this was to calmly dispatched by Andy to give Cadburys a well deserved share of the points. 

Cadburys welcome Arden Forest to the recreation ground to participate in the second round of the League cup on a bitterly cold morning that was to deteriate as driving rain turned to sleet, making playing conditions extremely difficult for both sides. Not only was it difficult for the lads, it was also virtually impossible to keep any notes on the game so I will have to rely on memory (which isn’t very good) to give a brief account of the match.

Cadburys had an early opportunity when Danny laid the ball back to Andy who shot just wide of goal, Arden responded with a shot that also went wide. Although Cadburys were enjoying a lot of possession it was Arden who made the breakthrough when they worked the ball down Cadburys left side and sent in a cross that was headed home.
Cadburys went close with a free kick by Andy that was spilled by the Arden keeper and Matt B could only turn the loose ball over the bar. A short while later Matt was unlucky to see his shot come back of the post and go straight in to the arms of the Arden keeper. Cadburys kept pressing but were unable to breach the Arden defence so they went in at half time trailing 1-0.

Cadburys got of to a great start in the second half as when Matt B sent a shot just past the post in the opening minute then a couple of minutes later Cadburys won a free kick just outside the box and Nobby stepped up to send in a fierce drive that the keeper could only parry into the roof of the net to bring the scores level. Cadburys continued to push forward for most of the second half with Arden playing a lone striker looking to catch Cadburys on the break, which ended up with both sides canceling each other out in terms of chances being created but the commitment of both sides was never in doubt as they battled for every ball.  As the game was reaching the closing stages both teams had one final opportunity to win the game, Cadburys had another free kick outside the area which was well taken by Nobby but the ball struck the underside of the bar and bounced down on to the line and was scrambled away by a grateful defence, Arden’s chance came from a long ball through to their striker who managed to get away from Cadburys defence and was through one on one with Lewis but it was Lewis who won the battle with a tremendous save, bravely diving at feet of the striker to snuff out his shot.

The weather was really starting to deteriate now and the last thing either side wanted was for the game to go into extra time (especially the parents) but as usual when these two teams meet each other it is hard to separate them so it was probably inevitable when the final whistle went with no further addition to the score. Extra time saw more of the same as both sides refused to concede any ground to each other so it was no surprise when the game went to the dreaded penalty shoot out.

Although Cadburys won the shoot out both teams deserve to share in the glory of putting on an exhibition of cup football at its best in extremely difficult conditions. Cadburys Penalty shoot out scorers Matt B, Nobby and Chris, also Lewis made a telling save for the first penalty.

Cadburys take a trip to Santiago Colts for the 2nd round of the open cup with most of the injured players declaring themselves fit for duty, which would give Mark a few more options than he has had in previous weeks.
The lads arrived to be confronted with a pitch that was barely minimum size and goals that were even smaller, so given the problems we have had finding normal sized goals in recent weeks it could have been a cause for concern.
The match got under way and Danny found himself through on goal in the first minute but unfortunately his shot hit the post and went out for a goal kick. Rybo sent in a good cross in the 5th minute, which was headed just over by Matt B
Danny was through on goal again after 7 minutes as he tried to chip the goalkeeper but the ball went just wide of the goal.
Andy and Nobby combined well in the 10th minute when Nobby sent a shot just wide and then Matt B got on the end of a long ball from Adam in the 13th minute only to see his shot saved.

Cadburys took the lead from a corner in the 14th minute when Nobby sent in curling ball that the keeper could not hold and he spilled the ball in to the net. Cadburys increased the lead in the following minute when Chris met another corner by Nobby with a thumping header. A couple of minutes later Andy sent a good ball out to Alor who got to the bye-line and drove the ball in to Matt B but he put his shot wide of the goal. Another corner by Nobby in the 22nd minute was headed just over by Chris but a minute later the lead was increased when Andy sent the ball through to Matt B who put the ball in the net from a tight angle to put Cadburys three up. Cadburys had another corner in the 26th minute this time Nobby picked out Freddie who headed just over the bar. Santiago reduced the deficit in the 31st minute with a well-struck free kick from just outside the area. Rybo got on to a long clearance in the 36th minute and he drove to the bye-line and sent in a great low cross that was turned in by Danny.

This was the last meaningful action of the first half so Cadburys went in to the break leading 4-1.
Santiago had free kick in the first minute of the second half that was tipped over the bar by Lewis
A minute later Alor sent a good ball to Matt S and he cut the ball back to Andy who sent in a shot that that was saved at the foot of the post by the goalkeeper. Craig sent a good pass through to Rybo in the 45th minute who was unlucky to see his shot hit the post. Santiago had a shot saved by Lewis in the 50th minute Andy received the ball from a throw in the 52nd minute he sent the ball through to Rybo who was waiting at the back post to drive the ball home, to give Cadburys a 5-1 advantage. Santiago had a good shot tipped over by Lewis on the hour Nobby played a nice ball through to Matt L in the 77th minute and he played the ball in to Craig who had his shot was saved by the keeper Alor played a nice ball out to Matt L in the final minute and he played the ball across the box to Craig who saw his shot deflected past the goalkeeper to bring the final score to Cadbury Athletic 6 - Santiago Colts 1.