| Who can forget that August Bank Holiday Monday at the Causeway eighteen months ago? A derby game against a spirited, Tommy Callinan led Cinderford team which despite matching their opponents, City lost nil-four. Today the tables were turned as the Foresters can arguably claim that they didn't deserve to lose by such a margin. |
| Two days made a great deal of difference to Burnsy's team selection as most of the older heads were out, replaced with a somewhat inexperienced looking team. Up front it was 'as you were' with Cox and Hosk, in the middle were Webby, Mustoe and Knighter. Chris Thompson was moved back into defence despite looking superb further up the field, he was partnered by Jethro and Adam Howarth with Lee Smith and Adam Hemming either side. |
| Cinderford arguably fielded a weakened team (not that being bottom but one made them weak anyhow). Goalkeeper Andy Fisher had been injured in a recent match against Swindon Supermarine and only played because stand in Will Steadman had to play in his normal defensive position as loanee Abdou Sall had been recalled to Kidderminster (where he played against Huddersfield and scored an own goal). Up front, Daryll Addis spent most of the game holding hands with Howarth. |
The crowd of almost six-hundred was the biggest to have graced Meadow Park for a league match so far this season, but hopefully it will be bettered for our two remaining home games.
|
|
|
| The Foresters, having beaten leaders Redditch on Saturday) started the game with the look of a team far from in trouble. Whether the game plan was to stop City playing or not, it worked and it was hard to see who was second top and who was second from bottom. |
| Andy Hoskins, still the League's top scorer (but watching Ciren's Gareth Hopkins over his shoulder) had a great chance to give City the lead from a Jimmy Cox pass, but he leaned back and spooned his shot high over the bar. If that was a wasted chance then Steve Lutz looked a klutz when he nodded the ball into Matt Bath's arms from six yards out when the goal was gaping. |
| The Cinderford keeper was apparently no fitter than he was on Saturday when Will Steadman played in goal, but due to the selection crisis was forced to don the gloves today. He didn't look unfit though when he pulled off a superb point blank save from Lee Smith's volley after Hosk had missed Jimmy Cox's cross. The ball fell kindly for Smith to finish on the rebound but he hit it too hard and it flew over the bar. |
| Adam Howarth had a red faced when he slipped to let in Daryll Addis for a clear run on goal and had he not timed his brilliant recovering tackle to perfection would've had a red card to boot. |
Cinderford got to grips with the game and it seemed that everything that City did went wrong. It wasn't a good advert for the club and the bumper crowd wouldn't have enjoyed the scruffy ten or so minutes of 'action' as the Foresters had the upper hands.
|
|
|
| However, this game is all about converting your chances and the reason why City are 'up there' is because it's something that they can do. Having not really had a clear shot on goal all game, Hosky bravely stooped to connect with an Adam Hemming cross to head past the static Fisher and put City in front. It was a bolt out of the blue and somewhat undeserved but it settled any nerves among the home fans. |
| Teams are at their most vulnerable just after they'd scored and it was thanks to Matt Bath that City's lead remained intact. His point blank save at a Cinderford free kick underlined his value to the club and why City have had such a successful season. |
| Then it was Howarth's turn to show why he's attracting interest from League clubs when his awareness put him in the right place at the right time to block a shot from Lutz. Lee Smith became the first player booked when he was second in a race for a loose ball, there were no complaints about the card. |
Will Steadman showed that he could still defend when he read Cox's cross to clear for a corner with two City players behind him. Tom Webb, not having a great game added injury to insult when he was elbowed in the face by Lutz after both had clashed jumping for a high ball. Surprisingly the referee gave a foul against the City man!
|
|
|
| At half time, City had been poor and something had to be done. Webb was sacrificed as Neil Griffiths came on into the centre of defence and Chris Thompson moved back into his favoured midfield berth. |
| A goal down, minutes into the second half Cinderford were a man down too when a perfectly weighted pass for Jimmy Cox put him in a race with David Carns. With a slight advantage, the Town defender tried to block Cox's run with his body but Cox easily rounded him and just before they got into the box both players went down. The referee, a sinister looking Peter Sutcliffe clone had no idea who fouled who and looked to his assistant for advice, it went City's way and the letter of the law dictated that Carns should see red. |
| Aside from the goal, Hosky wasn't getting too much luck. It continued into the second period when he saw his header from a Keith Knight cross easily saved and then found himself in the referee's notebook for closing down the keeper whilst he was taking a drop kick. |
| Scott Mullen became the first Cinderford substitute and Adam Hemming wasted another chance for the Tigers when he screwed his shot wide and had people ducking in the T-End. |
City went through a bad spell just after the second half had got into gear. Passes went astray, possession was lost and nothing went right. Burnsy warmed up alongside Adie Harris and it seemed that a change was inevitable.
|
|
|
| Then it all went right! |
| Adam Hemming was fouled in front of the stand and Keith Knight swung in his free kick. Heads went up in the penalty area and no-one really got a firm touch on it as the ball fell invitingly for substitute Neil Griffiths to flick it goalwards. Fisher, wrong-footed, twisted and dived to try and keep the ball out but it crossed the line before the keeper could scoop it away. |
| Cinderford manager Phil Mullen may have felt aggrieved that his team, arguably holding their own against City were unlucky to be a man down and two goals down now had something else to shout about. His defender, Nicky Clark was caught dwelling on the ball by Cox on the wing (in front of his dugout) and as both tussled for the ball both players appeared to handle it, Cox more so. Neither linesman or the referee saw anything untoward and the City man sprinted goalwards and curled a shot inside Fisher's near post. |
| Now in total disarray, City were absolutely on top and set up camp in the Cinderford goalmouth. Desperate defending was called for as somehow City failed to score with the ball pinging around the six yard box but as the ball wasn't cleared properly, Cox got his second. Adam Hemming had the ball on the edge of the area and chipped it to Hosky, who in turn flicked onto Jimmy who sidestepped the defender and passed the ball inside the far post. I don't think the reaction from the T-End had been louder all season! |
Two City changes (Harris for Smith and Baylo for Hosk) sandwiched a good shot from Lutz which went narrowly wide. Then Will Steadman had his blushes spared when, under duress from Jimmy Cox his backpass to Fisher only just reached the Cinderford keeper.
|
|
|
| Adam Howarth became the third City player to be booked when he reacted to a heavy challenged by shoving his opponent in the back. It was a silly caution but annoying that the Cinderford man wasn't even spoken to. |
| In injury time, a well timed run by Karl Bayliss saw him one on one with the keeper but he shot wildly over the bar. I'm sure the City legend will rue that missed opportunity as he yearns to reach the magic hundred goal milestone. |
| The final whistle went and news of Redditch's impending draw with Stourport was announced over the tannoy as the realisation that the title was now within reach sank in. |
| Come on City! |
|
