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| August 22nd 1998 : Cambridge City 1-1 City |
| Well at last the season finally begins! |
| Unfortunately we had to travel almost 150 miles across country to commence it, not an easy task after working through the night and then only getting some three hours sleep I can assure you! At least we were blessed with decent weather, so I'm sure to get drivers suntan to go with the nasty burn on my neck from the cricket last week! |
| It was very encouraging to see almost a hundred city fans at Milton Road, applause must surely go to the supporters club for their efforts in setting up a travel club to get as many fans behind the team on those away matchdays as possible, well done people! |
After originally thinking that Leroy had plumped for a three man defence, it became apparent that he had gone for 4-4-2, with Wyatt and Hemmings creating havoc from the wings, or so that may have been the plan....
Five minutes into the game a cross floated over the City penalty area and it was met by the sweetest volley from ex-Tiger Marvin Harriott (ok..one game!!!) which flew past Steve Mokler. What a heartbreaker! The rest of the first half saw City create chance after chance, the main recipient (or culprit) being Andy Mainwaring, he even glanced one header past the post when it was surely easier to score. Of course Andy wasn't the sole hard-luck
story, Adie Mings' downward header was well palmed away as well when it looked a dead cert goal. |
| The start of the second half won't be easily forgotten by Cambridge goalscorer Harriott. He ended up as the meat in the sandwich between Adie Mings and the goalkeeper, and for his trouble took a sickening knee in the small of the back from his own man. After a good five minutes of treatment right under my nose he was stretchered off in agony, I'll try and find out what his condition is. Anyway back to the game.... Mike Wyatt became the first Gloucester player to endorse a referees notepad this season when he was cautioned midway through the second half. |
| As the game seemed to be heading for an undeserved victory to Cambridge the ineffective Webb was replaced by Andy Tucker. The came the goal of the season! Apparently Jon Holloway was busy fighting on the far touchline as Wyatt crossed a hopeful ball onto the edge of the box in the direction of Mainwaring. No one could have expected what happened next as the Welsh wizard performed a spectacular overhead cycle kick and sent the ball volleying into the top corner of the Cambridge goal, and past the despairing reach of their 'keeper Phil Barber. For a better picture of the goal it can be compared to either of the following: Trevor Sinclairs effort for QPR in the FA Cup two years ago, or amazingly, the goal that Pele scored in Escape to Victory!!! |
| Then the referee passed with flying colours in the stupid test. First he gave a free kick against Andy Mainwaring when the keeper failed to release the ball after a good thirty seconds (I though the new rule was six seconds and then an indirect free kick to the opposition!!!) Secondly, Andy was booked for a late challenge on their centre half who had spent the previous eighty minutes kicking the shit out of Mainwaring himself. And finally, the dumb bastard booked Minger for what looked like over-vigour at a drop ball (I really can't wait to hear the official line on this one!!!) |
| At the end of the day, I suppose I'd have settled for a point before the game, but in hindsight we were all over them and we really should have won. There was word going around the ground that Rob Thomas wanted nine points from the opening three games, we'll see.... |
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City Team
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1: Steve Mokler
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2: Jon Holloway
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3: Will Steadman
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4: Mike Wyatt
(booked)
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5: Gary Kemp
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6: Steve Fergusson
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7: Dave Webb
(substituted)
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8: Chris Burns
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9: Andy Mainwaring
(booked)
(1 goal)
(substituted)
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10: Adie Mings
(booked)
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11: Tony Hemmings
(booked)
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Substitutes
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12: Andy Tucker
for Dave Webb
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14: Andy Hoskins
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15: Tom Rutter
for Andy Mainwaring
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| August 25th 1998 : City 4-1 Dorchester Town |
| After the disappointment of coming away from Cambridge with only a point, the Tigers really turned on the style to send Dorchester packing! |
| Naming an unchanged team from Saturday (just the available again Gary Thorne replacing Andy Hoskins on the bench). This was later to prove a wise move with Gary Kemp being subbed before half time with an injury. City took the lead as early as the fifth minute, from the first of what must have twenty corners over the course of the game. What looked like Dorchesters ex-scummer Kevin Maloy dropping a cross was actually a good save, to prevent Mike Wyatt's corner going straight in. However unluckily for the Magpies, Chris Burns pounced onto the loose ball and rammed it home. 1-0. |
| Then it looked as if we'd struggle through to half time without scoring again. Andy Mainwaring did get the ball in the net but it was disallowed, Adie Mings was adjudged to have fouled Maloy. Then the new hero of the T-End, Tony Hemmings, made it 2-0 from a move which he started. His pass to Mings found it's way out onto the right wing with Wyatt, who layed it back into the path of Jon Holloway. Holloway swept in the perfect cross which was met by a stooping header from Hemmings himself to send the ball flying into the left hand corner of the net. |
| As the second half began, you could sense that two wasn't going to be enough and that more goals were needed and were to come. Again with the half barely out of the dressing room City struck gold again. Gary Thorne (on as sub for Kempy) took one of his long throws and completely eluded the defence, but not ex-Bath winger Wyatt! He connected with his left boot and Maloy grasped at thin air as another shot flew destined for the Dorchester goal. 3-0 |
| Our third goal seemed to be very much on the break, coming after a period of Dorchester pressure. A throw in to City in the corner of the ground was well intercepted by a Dorchester man and carried fully sixty yards, before he slipped the ball to his fellow striker, who in turn beat Steve Mokler to make it 3-1 to City. And it made me nervous, could City hold onto or even increase their lead? Yes! |
| Mike Wyatt was replaced by utility man Andy Tucker to give the Tigers a more solid looking midfield, and give Wyatt himself a well earned rest. Adie Mings, who had looked out of sorts for the best part of the game, then took his turn to get on the scoresheet. I'm afraid the origin of this goal is a bit of a blur in my mind! All I remember is that he was given a second chance by a defensive mix-up and he got there first with his left foot to ram the ball past the reach of Kevin Maloy. |
| Andy Mainwaring was then withdrawn to give a home debut to young striker Tom Rutter, and the game petered out into a 4-1 win for City. Three points, thank you very much. |
| And Simon Cooper didn't get a mention..... |
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City Team
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1: Steve Mokler
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2: Jon Holloway
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3: Will Steadman
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4: Mike Wyatt
(1 goal)
(substituted) |
5: Gary Kemp
(substituted)
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6: Steve Fergusson
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7: Dave Webb
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8: Chris Burns
(1 goal)
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9: Andy Mainwaring
(substituted)
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10: Adie Mings
(1 goal)
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11: Tony Hemmings
(1 goal)
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Substitutes
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12: Andy Tucker
for Mike Wyatt
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14: Tom Rutter
for Andy Mainwaring
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15: Gary Thorne
for Gary Kemp
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| August 29th 1998 : City 1-1 Ilkeston Town |
| They were better than us. |
| To be fair it was probably as case of after the Lord Mayors show for City this afternoon. A soon as we kicked off I expected to see Tony Hemmings running riot along the wings, but somehow it didn't seem to happen. In the whole of the first half I think we only mustered two goalscoring chances, one falling to Tony himself and the other to Andy Mainwaring when he was put clean through by Adie Mings. All he could do was test the net behind the goal as his effort soared skywards. |
| The second half was just over a minute old when ex-Forest Green striker Christian Moore got goal-side of Gary Kemp, and was then pulled down for a penalty. The T-End erupted with disagreement (what do you expect!) and profanities aimed at the referee, but this was a penalty. John Knapper stepped up and slotted the ball past Steve Moklers left hand to make it 1-0 to Ilkeston. |
| City pressed for the equaliser immediately vociferously backed by the home fans and it produced some passionate and exciting football. Minger charged down a clearance and suddenly found himself one on one with the keeper inside the area. As he went round him he was fouled from behind, but he stayed on his feet and lost the ball, and no penalty was awarded. After the diving shenanigans of the World Cup it's ridiculous that honesty isn't the best policy. From now on I will encourage every City player to dive under the same circumstances. |
| All of the City substitutes were used this afternoon, Will Steadman and Mike Wyatt being replaced by Gary Thorne and Andy Tucker, and later on Tom Rutter came on for the ineffective Dave Webb. I'm quite concerned for Webby now, he is playing as one of the two main midfielders alongside Chris Burns and I personally don't think he's capable of doing the job expected from him. |
| Hemmings almost got the goal that we were looking for with a screaming volley from the edge of the box, but it was brilliantly parried by Ilkeston goalie Malcolm Rigby. Thankfully justice was served in injury time as City attacked the T-End. Steve Fergusson (having been pushed forward into attack) was fouled in the area but all the appeals were ignored. Then Tony Hemmings picked up the loose ball and was chopped down. Probably. Fergie copied the Ilkeston penalty from forty-five minutes earlier and sent us all home happy with a 1-1 win! |
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City Team
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1: Steve Mokler
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2: Jon Holloway
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3: Will Steadman
(substituted)
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4: Mike Wyatt
(substituted)
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5: Gary Kemp
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6: Steve Fergusson
(1 goal)
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7: Dave Webb
(substituted)
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8: Chris Burns
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9: Andy Mainwaring
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10: Adie Mings
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11: Tony Hemmings
(booked)
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Substitutes
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12: Gary Thorne
for Will Steadman
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14: Andy Tucker
for Mike Wyatt
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15: Tom Rutter
for Dave Webb
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| August 31st 1998 : Bath City 1-2 City |
| What a game! I don't ever want to see that again..... |
| City came back triumphantly defeating the Romans of Twerton Park with goals from ex-Bath winger Mike Wyatt and another penalty from Steve Fergusson, created by our most effective strike force of Tony Hemmings being 'fouled' in the box and Fergie stroking the ball home from the spot! |
| Quite surprisingly Leroy omitted striker Andy Mainwaring for the now suspension free Darren Keeling, but it was his partner that unfortunatley stole the headlines. Adie Mings was sent off after no more than half an hour for his second bookable offence, much to the delight of the home fans (Mings having originally signed for City from Bath). His first yellow card seemed wrong in my view, he went to take a free kick but managed to kick Bath no.10 Mike Davis instead who was kicking the ball away. The second was for following through after losing the ball and downing the Bath centre half. It was inevitable that he wasn't going to see out the full ninety minutes. However, the numbers were made even early in the second half when Bath 'keeper Mark Hervin (sporting a ridiculous blonde hairdo!) rushed out of his area and handled the ball to prevent Darren Keelings run on goal. He was replaced by striker Martin Paul, and City were guilty of not testing him at the best of times. |
| City opened the scoring on eighteen minutes through Mike Wyatt, he had a good chance earlier in the game but failed to convert it. This time however he got into a good position inside the Bath area to sidefoot home Mings' left wing cross. A satisfying moment for the man shown the door at Twerton Park in the summer I'm sure! |
| Unfortunately we couldn't quite hold the lead until half time, Bath player-manager Paul Bodin (who incidently was easily the best player on the pitch) buried a loose ball into the back of Steve Moklers goal for the equaliser. |
| This gave Bath the advantage and easily put them on top pf the game at the start of the second period. Then the hard running Tony Hemmings combined with Keeling to set up an attack and as he went round ex-Forest Green defender Rob Skidmore he was tripped for a penalty. Tony has come to City with a bit of a reputation for going down, but it will make him an all the more dangerous part of Citys attack over the next nine months. Oh yeah, then Fergie stepped up and slotted the ball high above the soon to depart Hervins dive. |
| Rosenior didn't use any of his substitutes today but journeyman striker Steve 'Chalky' White made an appearance for Bath. He looked as dangerous as ever, almost scoring as soon as he came on, but at least Fergie was faced with somebody that he could keep up with! |
| One last work must go to the performance of Jon Holloway in particular who saved City two points with his goal line clearance deep into injury time. |
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City Team
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1: Steve Mokler
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2: Jon Holloway
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3: Gary Thorne
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4: Mike Wyatt
(1 goal)
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5: Gary Kemp
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6: Steve Fergusson
(1 goal)
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7: Dave Webb
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8: Chris Burns
(booked) |
9: Darren Keeling
(booked)
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10: Adie Mings
(sent off)
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11: Tony Hemmings
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Substitutes
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12: Andy Mainwaring
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14: Paul Malloy
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15: Andy Hoskins
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| Page last updated : 17th August 2003 |
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