After last weeks poor performance (which contributed to me sodding off home early on Saturday night, like the grumpy old b*gger that I am) this week couldn't possibly sink to the same depths. Gladly it never! Collegiate turned up having lost both their games this season by narrow margins, determined to register their first points of the season, Coeur were having none of it. Injuries again restricted Coeur in their selection, yet this week the lads on show turned up sober and keen to show their worth. Mally Harper is still on the physio's table after a coming together with BIG Mick Meehan in training, Alan Hulthen was still feeling the effects of last weeks injury, Paul Morgan suffering a recurrence of his toe injury and Dave Looby and Paul Carr are both still on the long term casualty list. Andy Rannard was also absent as he opted to worship at a Christian alter rather than at the church of Buckley Hill (ok so he was Godfather at a Christening). Thankfully Coeur could welcome back top scorer Mick Kennedy who joined Craig Burns up front, along with Rob Hatton.

So once the reorganisation had occured, Coeur lined up in their change strip to face Collegiate who's yellow kit actually turned out to be yellow and royal blue stripes (in case you were wondering Liam). It took no more than 90 seconds for Coeur to blow away the cobwebs of last week as Craig Burns scored another sensational goal. Craig was out wide of the six yard box yet drill a superlative shot home into the far corner with the outside of his right boot. Game on!!

Collegiate's keeper was injured soon after this and Coeur looked forward to testing the stand in keeper. Tragically for Coeur the keeper seemed to have been possesed by the spirit of Jerzy Dudek from a night in Instanbul last May, coming and collecting anything crossed into the box and making an outstanding point blank save as Gav Scott thrashed the ball goalwards after a fantastic move down thi right hand side. Coeur did manage to extend their lead before half time with Craig helping himself to his second of the match. Michael Carr produced one of his now legendary goal kicks which cleared the Collegiate back line and Craig hared onto it and lifted it over the keeper and into the net. Collegiate's forwards were lively, yet never really got much of a look in as Coeur's defence stood strong.

Half Time 2 - 0.

Coeur came out second half eager to extend their lead, with Derrick Burns proving that last week's debacle was entirely ale induced. It was only a matter of time before the third goal came and again one of Mike Smith's lungbusting crusades from the back proved to be the catalyst. Mike burst past half of the Collegiate side before sliding it wide to Craig Burns. Mike continued his run into the centre and looked to score his goal for the seaseon early on this year, fortunately for Coeur, Craig picked out a more prolific scorer in Mick Kennedy who headed home at the far post.

With Mick Kennedy having now restored his lead at the top of the 3rd team's scoring charts to 2 goals, Craig decided to peg him back. He cut inside the defender and fired the ball into the keeper's left hand corner to seal his hat-trick.
Sadly Coeur couldn't maintain a clean sheet and it was down to a series of errors with 2 miskicks and a complete fresh air shot, that saw a sharp finish from the forward from 8 yards out.

All in all a decent performance against a side who didn't offer too much resistance on the day. On the downside yet another Coeur player had to leave the pitch through injury. this time it was Neil Shelley, who injured a toe on an opponenets studs whilst completing a clearance. Next week should be a sterner test when Coeur face table toppers Mossley Hill. Let's hope that Coeur can see a few players returning from injury to strengthen the squad.