| Following the defeat on Saturday in the top of the table 'six-pointer' against Rugby, tonight provided an early chance to get our promotion charge back on the rails. The game could've been in doubt due to dropping temperatures and rock hard pitches around the country, thankfully though it survived. |
| Stourport have never been a consistent source of league points for City and going into the game it was hard to see a definate win for the Tigers, even by repressing the usual optimism. That wasn't helped by the continued abscence of Lee Jeffries and a defence that looks like a midfield sitting deep. |
| The only change for the Tigers, which now seems to be a usual midweek routine was that Adam Hemming, Keith Knight and Tom Webb all swapped around, with the veteran Knight sitting on the bench. Joining him again were youngsters Dan Avery and Karl Palmer. |
| Walshes Meadow, home of the Swifts is hidden away behind the leisure centre on the banks of the River Severn. The ground has a very minimalist feel to it and certainly wouldn't qualify for the Mangotsfield United 'superior facilities' league, that said it's a pleasant place with a cosy bar and friendly enough fans. It's just a shame that they don't cook their pies all the way through! |
| We changed ends at the start of the game to stand behind the goal that City were attacking and I hadn't made it as far as the halfway line when Stourport scored their goal. Hemming seemed to be given a torrid time in the left wing back position and a cross found it's way into the area to the feet of the unmarked Ronnie Sayer who drilled the ball past Matt Bath into the bottom left hand corner. An interesting start. |
| As if we hadn't learned from the early goal, Stourport continued to press and another similar cross saw a player in a good position head hopelessly wide with a free header. But as City began to find their feet they were denied an equaliser when the home keeper got a hand to Wilko's deft close range header following a Neil Mustoe corner. |
| Adam Hemming then had the chance to show his attacking prowess when his pace took him beyond the full back but instead of looking for a cross he drilled a left footed shot well wide of the near post. It could've been curtains for City though as the Swifts broke, erm, swiftly and following a nice cut back their man shot wide with just Bath to beat. |
| The referee was called into action following two late tackles, the second of which yielded a yellow card for Stourport's Kavanagh although it seems he may have been the victim of a case of mistaken identity and harshly booked. |
| Matt Bath had to be alert to palm a shot over the bar before Wilko spurned a great chance to equalise following a good pass from Hemming. The Swifts came back attacking and with just the keeper to beat, shot wide. It was their last real chance not only of the half, but of the game. |
| City continued to probe and were desperatly unlucky when a mazy run into the box by Jimmy Cox provided a shooting opportunity for Tom Webb. The City midfielder's shot was well blocked by Ryan Price in the Stourport goal and after the ball was half cleared Adam Hemming appeared to be pushed whilst jumping for the ball that was crossed back in. |
| Stourport had another man cautioned, for time wasting after Cox had been fouled on the edge of the area. Neil Mustoe's free kick came to nothing, although it seemed a little hurried on his part and the wall looked nothing like ten yards away. As the Tigers continued to attack a good Hemming cross evaded three City players as it skipped through a sea of legs in the penalty area and out for a goal kick. |
| Mustoe again tried his luck from distance after being supplied by Webb, but as the game entered first half injury time City got the goal that they so richly deserved. Good work on the right wing from Lee Smith and a cut back to Tom Webb was followed by a low cross into Jimmy Cox's feet. With his back to goal Jimmy turned and stabbed the ball inside the far post with the Stourport keeper rooted to the spot. |
| City could've had a penalty at the start of the second half when Smith was clumsily knocked to the floor as he progressed into the penalty area, but the ref saw nothing untoward. It seemed that Stourport had their fair share of luck on the evening, no more so than five minutes into the half when an Adam Hemming cross was headed down towards the goal by Andy Hoskins. Somehow it stayed out. |
| Hemming was having a very good game and should've capped it with a goal but after a good turn his shot with his weaker right foot ended up closer to the river than the back of the net. The relentless attacking continued and Jimmy Cox tried to repeat the move that got him his second goal at Southport last year, but this time hit the near post. The follow up from Hosky was blocked on the line. |
| Dave Wilkinson had a great chance to continue his goalscoring form but his header from Hosk's knock back was awful. Another poor attempt came from Lee Smith as he tried to cross the ball into the far post like he did with more success at Ilkeston, this time it didn't work. |
| City made their first change on seventy-five minutes when Webby made way for the more experienced head of Keith Knight. It seemed to be a mistake as the City pressure made way for a brief glimpse of Stourport on the attack. There may have been slight confusion as Bath failed to come for a ball that Chris Thompson was shielding for him and the defender was forced to concede a corner rather than a goal as had happened at home to Gresley. |
| Neil Mustoe became the first City player to be booked following what looked like a collision, although it stopped the Swifts player progressing and our man saw yellow. Adam Hemming then made way for another young wide player, former Cheltenham and Swindon Town youth teamer Karl Palmer as City looked for the much needed winner. |
| It was becoming more frustrating than ever now as following a City corner, Dave Wilkinson was penalised for a foul on the keeper even though Ryan Price had been obstructed by his own defender as he tried to get a hand to the high ball. It seemed as though all hope of victory had gone when Jimmy Cox got ahead of his defender but a poor touch narrowed the angle and he shot well wide of the far post. |
| But, the never say die attitude paid off and the Tigers finally bagged all three points deep into injury time. Chris Burns' free kick was easily cleared out to Neil Mustoe who slotted in a nice pass out on the right to Lee Smith. Smudger then sent in as good a cross as he ever has and it was surprisingly met by a bullet header from Cox, a man who never scores with his head! |
| Little happened after the goal and the ref blew up to show how close we were to drawing a game that we deserved to win. Victory for Halesowen mean't that we didn't move up a place but we are now three points clear of the team in seventh place. A good result to take us into our ten day Christmas break. |
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