20/09/2026
đ COUNTY CUP FIRST ROUND
Ilchester FC Reserves 3â0 Coronation United Reserves
Coronation United Reserves travelled deep into the heart of Somerset on Saturday afternoon for our County Cup First Round tie against Ilchester FC Reserves.
With a squad containing a mixture of returning faces, new additions and players still finding their feet together, the Ressies arrived at Ilchester Sports Field looking for that elusive first win of the season and, hopefully, the beginning of a cup run.
With injuries and personnel to manage, Coronation lined up in a 3-5-2, with the instructions from the manager clear from the outset: use our triangles, pass and move, remain patient in possession and try to play the fluid football that we have been working towards in training.
Unfortunately, before we had even really settled into the game, we found ourselves behind.
Barely 90 seconds had been played when an awkward ball bounced between two of our centre-backs. An Ilchester attacker reacted quickest, raced between them and struck first time from around 18 yards, catching everybody off guard and finding the bottom corner.
1â0 Ilchester.
After approximately ten seconds of the worldâs smallest violin playing đť, there was only one thing to do: pick ourselves up and get on with it.
The early goal understandably gave Ilchester confidence and they looked to pin us inside our own half. Coronation, however, remained patient and gradually began finding ways through the pressure.
At times we were guilty of inviting that pressure back onto ourselves by going long without any real direction rather than trusting our passing game. But defensively, we stood firm.
Jack Groom produced some huge saves in goal, Josh Humphries made tackle after tackle, while Chris read the game brilliantly at the back with a number of important interceptions.
And then, in the 43rd minute, came the moment that could have completely changed the complexion of the game.
A brilliant ball released Scotty through on goal. With more time than he perhaps realised and the goalkeeper rushing out to meet him, Scotty attempted to dink the ball over him.
For a moment it looked like the equaliser was coming.
Unfortunately, it flashed agonisingly wide.
It would prove to be our best opportunity of the half, but at 1â0 at half-time, we were very much still in the tie.
HALF-TIME: Ilchester FC Reserves 1â0 Coronation United Reserves
The message at half-time was simple.
Keep calm. Keep competing. Trust the football.
We werenât playing badly. We were competing all over the pitch, weâd created opportunities and, with a little more composure, we could easily have gone into the break level.
A tactical reshuffle saw us move away from the 3-5-2 and into a 4-4-2 with two banks of four, looking to give ourselves more structure while still carrying two threats going forward.
Unfortunately, the second half began almost identically to the first.
Within the opening minute, Ilchester struck again.
2â0.
That could easily have been the moment where heads dropped.
They didnât.
And that was perhaps one of the biggest positives to take from the afternoon.
Coronation continued battling for first balls and second balls, continued pushing forward and, over the course of the second half, created another five opportunities that on another afternoon could have completely changed the scoreline.
At the other end, Jack continued making important saves whenever Ilchester broke through.
And then there was Josh.
Somehow, Josh had managed to get so far inside the heads of the Ilchester players that practically every touch of the ball was being greeted by jeers from the opposition. đ
His response?
Keep winning tackles.
Keep competing.
Keep taking players on.
Keep doing his job.
At one stage he decided to take on about three of them himself, while defensively his timing and commitment were exceptional throughout.
As the game entered its closing stages, tired legs inevitably began creeping in. Ilchester began looking longer, using fresh legs up front to chase balls over the top, and eventually, in the 90th minute, they found the third goal that put the result beyond any doubt.
FULL-TIME: Ilchester FC Reserves 3â0 Coronation United Reserves
The scoreline wonât tell the entire story of this game.
Ilchester deserved their victory and were excellent hosts, but Coronation competed from the first minute until the last and were unfortunate not to get something for our efforts.
There are still pieces that need to click into place. We need to trust ourselves with the football more. We need to stop inviting unnecessary pressure. And when the opportunities arrive, we need to become more clinical.
But those things can be worked on.
And when they do start clicking, there is absolutely something in this Reserve team waiting to come out.
đ
MAN OF THE MATCH
Playersâ Man of the Match: Jack Groom đ§¤
A massive performance between the sticks. Several important saves throughout the afternoon kept us in the contest and gave the team every opportunity to fight their way back into the game.
Managerâs Man of the Match: Josh Humphries đ
Relentless. Huge tackles, excellent defensive work, competed for absolutely everything and never stopped battling. Somehow became Ilchesterâs pantomime villain in the process, but simply carried on doing his job. đ
Both made an exceptional difference today and I canât wait to see them pull on the Coronation shirt again.
đ MANAGERâS NOTES
September was always going to be a slightly quieter month for the Reserves in terms of fixtures, so we were really looking forward to this County Cup game and the possibility of putting together a little cup run.
Unfortunately, it wasnât destined to happen.
But I walked away from this one seeing far more positives than negatives.
This group is still learning. Weâre bringing different players together, asking people to understand different systems and trying to change some habits in the way we play our football.
That doesnât happen overnight.
But today I saw players battle for each other. I saw heads stay up at 2â0. I saw us continue creating chances. And I saw a group that, despite the result, kept trying to play until the final whistle.
Massive credit must also go to Ilchester FC Reserves. Fantastic hosts, a really good group of lads and a team with several standout players who played some excellent football. We wish them all the best in the next round and for the remainder of their season.
Finally, we also want to send our best wishes to Ilchesterâs number 16 following his collision with Jack. Both players were focused on the ball and unfortunately came together. He was able to get back up, but we understand he was experiencing some pain afterwards, so hopefully itâs nothing serious and heâs back playing as soon as possible. đ¤
For us, the cup journey ends here.
We dust ourselves off.
We get back onto the training pitch.
And next week, our attention turns back to the league and the hunt for those first three points against Clevedon United.
Credit to every single player who pulled on that Coronation United Reserves shirt today.
We keep building.
We keep learning.
And we go again. đđ¤
WE ARE CORONATION UNITED.
