| So, after ten pre-season friendlies City began their league campaign away at fancied 'not quiet' Brummies Rugby United. Sadly all the work put in in those practise games seemed to have been forgotten as our high ball game was easily contained by our hosts as they recorded a relatively easy 1-0 win. |
| Despite having announced the signature of Neil Mustoe yesterday, he was unavailable through injury so it was a familiar looking City team that took to the field. Just Lee Jeffries was making his debut among the starting eleven, although left wing back Keith Knight was making his third! Youngster Adam Hemming was left on the bench as Chris Burns looks to introduce him gradually. Adam did however see some action as a second half substitute, but it wasn't enough to earn the Tigers a point. |
| Rugby is always a hard place for teams to go and pinch all three points and I can only remember City doing it on two occasions, way back in 1990 when Graham 'Stinger' Withey despatched a cross from Steve Abbley, then Abbley himself scored the only goal a few years later. It'll be at least another year's wait now as we failed to upset our hosts again today. |
The game opened brighlty and City went on the offensive straight away, maybe as a reflection of the good pre-season form. Rugby were quick and dangerous on the counter attack, especially through their eighteen year old striker Justin Marsden who is attracting the attention of QPR and other league teams. United played in a style which served Dorchester so well when Owen Pickard and Tommy Killick would maraude along the wings and then go in for the kill in a pincer movement, Robbie Beard and Marsden replicated the style perfectly and it was this pairing which would prove to be City's undoing.
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| The first real opprtunity of the game fell to the home side when a free kick in a good position was sent sailing over the bar, Beard then had his first chance when Chris Burns misplaced a pass straight to the Rugby front runner, his shot however missed the target. It took City the best part of fifteen minutes to make a serious attack despite having a fair proportion of possesion. Jimmy Cox found room in the box and from close range volleyed goalwards but a defender got his head in the way to deflect it over for a corner. |
| The ghost of last season then reared it's ugly head as Jeffries found his way into the referees notebook for a lunge on Beard as he skipped past him. It was an uncomfortable opening for the former Clevedon defender as he looked much more at home defending Rugby's aerial threat than he did when the ball was on the floor. Tom Webb was lucky not to be booked too as he left his foot in after the ball had gone and the defender went down like a sack of spuds. It didn't help that this happened in front of the impressive new stand, full of un-impressive old whingers. |
| Chances came at either end with the ever ready threat of Marsden making City's back three look uncomfortable. Our best chances came from set pieces, Griff in particular headed just over from a corner. But on thirty six minutes the home team took the lead. Again it was Justin Marsden, whose pace was too much for Griff, he whipped a perfect low cross over for Beard to sidefoot past Matt Bath in the City goal. Even a nice new shirt couldn't help Bathy! |
Jimmy Cox tried to make amends after a good run by Webby, the ball came back to him on the edge of the box but his effort was just high and wide. Burnsy's first half time team talk would need to be inspiring.
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| VS, erm, Rugby United were buoyant from the off in the second half. They always looked dangerous but Bath was able to cope with most of what they could throw at him. One attack which did test him was started with a Beard controlling the ball with his chest and arm and could've given us a chance to have a good whinge early in the season, but Marsden screwed his shot wide. |
| City put the home side under more pressure but only with a bombardment of aerial balls to Andy Hoskins. They were easily lapped up by the experienced duo of Herbert and Redgate (now minus his silly looking ponytail). Hosky had a rather fruitless afternoon, it was very disappointing really because he's looked rather competitive in the friendly matches. Now that we had a competitive match, he was rather too friendly! |
| Even though we had the lions share of possesion, they always looked dangerous on the break and we weren't really creating chances. Burnsy had a good opportunity later in the game but dragged it wide of the near post, much to the frustration of the seventy odd travelling City fans. Keith Knight was replaced with young Adam Hemming, and instantly poured life into the left hand side, something that had been missing previously. |
Hemming went on a nice run, showing trickery with both feet before being upended as if he was actually playing rugby. In the fifteen or so minutes that he had to shine, he did. I think Adam may be disappointed that Burnsy thinks he's not going to walk straight into the first team but on this show he needs to be in there from the start.
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| On my last visit to Butlin Road there was contoversy with time wasting from the manager, and although the boss has changed, the underhand tactics haven't. Tony Dobson had a speaking to from the referee for deliberately throwing the ball away to prevent a quick City throw. They also took the piss on a late substitiution when the player wasn't even ready to come on. Rugby might win a bucketload of games, but they won't win many friends. |
| So often in recent times, when we've been chasing a game we've not pressured like the opposition would do to us if the tables were turned. Under Burnsy, we do it. They could've scored a spectacular own goal when a deflected shot hit the back of a defenders head and bounced just over the bar. Then Tom Webb was fouled on the edge of the box, with Will Steadman on for the injured Lee Smith (not seriously though), it was a perfect chance for Super Will to curl in one of his Beckham style set pieces, but Burnsy smacked it into the wall instead. Why not Will? He's scored twice in the past fortnight from the same spot. |
| The final whistle went, provoking a gummy cheer from the home fans and a dejected silence from the travelling Tigers. Players that stood out were Jeffries, already mentioned. Knighter, if only we had him two years ago, Adie Harris he is not. Webby, a lot of running but not much luck in possesion. And our strikeforce, not the best day for them but I was alarmed at the amount of niggly fouling they were doing. Let your feet do the talking guys! |
| Onto Team Bath now, who knows what they will bring. I can see us losing! |
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