Grantham Town lose to Coleshill Town in the Northern Premier League
An early lead for Grantham proved to be a false dawn as two goals from Ben Usher-Shipway gave Coleshill Town all three points on Saturday.
Sam Muggleton had put the Gingerbreads ahead after nine minutes of the Northern Premier League Midlands Division match on the artificial pitch at Pack Meadow.
However, Usher-Shipway had levelled just after the midway mark in the first half before scoring the winner from the penalty spot on the hour mark.
Grantham manager Nathan Arnold thought his side worked hard and only lost to two errors.
He said: "I thought we did really well early on and deservedly went in front.
"They made a change and we made a mistake to let them back in. We are not a million miles away.
"We fought hard and I think it came down to two moments in between which we competed well."
Grantham handed debuts to Lincoln City youngsters Denny Oliver and Gbolahan Okewoye following their arrival on work experience from the League One club.
In the early exchanges, Usher-Shipway spread play wide for the home side and the cross into the Grantham penalty area just eluded Daniel Gyasi.
In reply, the Gingerbreads found Freddie Allen but his shot was saved by Tyrese Warmington in the Coleshill goal.
Poor defending by Coleshill was rescued by Dan Brookes at the expense of a corner which led to the opening goal.
The set piece was delivered to the far post and dropped into the six yard box where Muggleton poked home to put Grantham in front.
With Grantham competing well and dominating possession, Okewoye and Jevin Seaton worked a good position and the latter hit a 20-yard effort that just flew wide.
Coleshill gradually took control of the game, keeping possession and restricting Grantham to longer passes which their defence picked off comfortably.
In return the Gingerbreads kept the home side at bay until an error led to the equaliser.
Grantham overplayed things on the edge of their penalty area and AJ Adelekan lost the ball. Coleshill quickly played in Usher-Shipway who fired across Curtis Hall into the corner of the net.
Ten minutes before the break, the woodwork twice came to Grantham's rescue.
First Usher-Shipway picked out Harry Craven with a cross and his header rolled off the post.
A minute later Hall saved another shot from Usher-Shipway and was grateful to see the follow-up effort come back off the post.
Sam Tye headed wide of the Grantham goal near the close of the first half as the only chances came at the Grantham end.
The home side also had the first chance after the break when Gio Dainty was given far too much room to run unchallenged at the Grantham defence and Jack Hallahan had more than enough time to line up his shot but fired wide.
Coleshill were content to sit back and pick off Grantham's balls forward, denying the Gingerbreads a sight of goal then breaking quickly. Hall saved well from an Alex McSkeane header from a cross from the Gingerbreads' right.
Usher-Shipway got his second of the game and the winner on 63 minutes.
McSkeane went over under a challenge inside the penalty area and referee Simon Kavanagh pointed to the spot where Usher-Shipway sent Hall the wrong way to put his side in front.
Grantham offered little threat to the Coleshill goal as the home side defended anything the Gingerbreads put into the final third well.
The visitors had few sights of goal and only an Allen run that was stopped by an offside flag threatened the home defence.
At the other end Coleshill went close on the break as Ross Evans ran through the Grantham defence on 71 minutes but Hall came off his line well.
A few minutes later the same player turned the Grantham defence but shot wide.
Two minutes before the 90 minutes were up, the Gingerbreads had a penalty shout denied.
Muggleton delivered a cross to Jack Butterfill and his shot was deflected wide for a corner but seemed to have hit a Coleshill hand in the penalty area which was unseen by the match official.
There was time added for Evans to have one more chance.
Taylor Need chased a ball over the top from an offside position but left it for Evans to run onto but once again Hall denied Coleshill.
Grantham are back in action at the Meres on Saturday when they host relegation rivals Lye Town.
