Three wins on the trot, but Bears boss demands more (Sentinel)
CONGLETON Town signed off their home campaign with a 3-0 success over Squires Gate – their third successive win.
The visitors' chief tormentor was Crewe loanee Michael Koral, who opened the scoring, had a shot deflected home for the second and then converted a second-half penalty.
FRUSTRATED: Congleton Town boss Jim Vince watched his side win their third game in a row, but still wants more effort.
•••..Koral's brace made it five goals in three games for the Bears, having scored twice against Alsager and also netting against Padiham.
Congleton boss Jim Vince believes there is plenty more to come from the Bears, and is targeting maximum points from their remaining two games.
He said: "We were effective, but still not enough for me.
"We created a lot of chances, and the players who had them should have put them away.
"It is a little bit frustrating – I want to be better than this – but three wins on the bounce will build momentum."
Vince also praised goal hero Koral, adding: "Michael is a talented player. We know that if we put the ball in the right areas he will score goals. We are very fortunate that Crewe have let us have him."
Squires Gate created the better chances early on, and went close when Thomas Bartlett was played in by Russell McKenna, only to be flagged for offside.
They also threatened on 13 minutes when Sam Farrow's rasping long-range effort cannoned off the foot of a Congleton post.
But the hosts responded well, and Yann Goueguel set up Koral to poke an effort just wide of the goal from the edge of the visitors' penalty box.
Gate keeper Neil Beesley had to be at his best soon after to beat away a right-foot drive from Daniel Doherty.
But the hosts took a deserved lead on 23 minutes, when Doherty played Koral in on goal and he expertly lifted the ball over the advancing Beesley with the outside of his right foot.
Congleton extended their lead three minutes before half-time, Doherty again finding Koral, whose shot across goal was turned into his own net by Stuart Horn.
The game was now becoming one sided, and Congleton almost added a third goal on 51 minutes when Jordan Neild curled a shot just over the bar.
He went close again soon after, but his powerful drive was bravely blocked by Jonathan Forbes.
Squires Gate were offering very little as an attacking threat, but wasted a great opportunity to reduce the arrears just past the hour mark when McKenna flashed an effort across the face of hosts' goal.
But Congleton were home and dry when they were awarded a penalty on 69 minutes after Forbes pushed Jack Graham in the box. Koral stepped up to slot his spot-kick low to the right as Beesley went the other way.
Nathan Southern could have added a fourth for the Bears with eight minutes left, but his shot was blocked by the body of Thomas Benfield.
And Gate should have grabbed a consolation effort in stoppage time, but Forbes volleyed over the bar.
Congleton Town: Conkie, Schwarz (Coyne, 67), Guest, Willis, Alston, Graham, Basford, Gill (Neild, 45), Goueguel (Southern, 63), Doherty. Not used: Dodds.
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