| Despite the artic conditions that hit Gloucester during the week, today's game against Stourport was never in any doubt, although the freezing cold weather mean't that we could've done with being at home in the warm like a certain hissy fit throwing ex-City fan. |
| With last week's defeat at Cirencester in mind and all due respect going to our visitors today, anything less than three points would be seen as a failure. With that in mind Chris Burns had an embarrasement of riches to choose from in defence, yet he was still a little light in midfield. That mean't another excursion in the middle for City captain Neil Griffiths, a position where he looked rather uncomfortable on Monday evening against Bristol City. |
| On Friday the Swifts had bolstered their attack by re-signing striker Richard Ball from Halesowen Town on an eighteen month contract. He'd been by far their highest scorer before his move to the Grove earlier in the season but a hilarious incident at Shepshed on Tuesday saw the end of his short stint at the Yeltz. As he was substituted he tore off his shirt and threw it at Halesowen manager Brendan Phillips, only to have it thrown back at him! |
| Other names in the Stourport side included Bryan Small, a full back who'd played in the Premiership for Aston Villa around eight seasons ago. On his debut he was drafted in at such short notice that they didn't have a shirt with his name on it so had to borrow one off a fan in the crowd. |
| It wasn't exactly the most exciting of opening spells and a sign of things to come came from Neil Mustoe's terrible early corner after`a good move involving Jimmy Cox and Andy Hoskins was deflected out of play. |
Some time later City won another corner, this time a better delivery saw the keeper get himself into all sorts of trouble as he missed the ball and saw it fall to Cox at the far post. However he redeemed himself by getting down bravely and blocking the point blank shot from the City striker.
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| It wasn't all one way traffic though as Matt Bath was called upon to beat away a header back across the goal that was heading for the far post, that was done despite the oncoming Stourport striker which must've been rather nervy for the City stopper. |
| Coxy wasn't having much luck in front of goal but seemed to have acres of space to run into. On one such attack he was fouled on the edge of the box and with his goal against Taunton still fresh in his mind Neil Mustoe stepped up and duly sent the ball flying into the T-End. |
| City should've had a penalty on their next attack as a jinking run from Cox saw him get inside the area where he received a bruising knock but managed to stay on his feet. As he turned the other way his ankles were hooked and he went down, yet the referee did that signal that they do with arms crossing in a scissors motion across his midriff. Whatever he was trying to indicate City got no penalty. |
| Cox found more room from a nicely weighted Hemming pass, cut inside on the edge of the box and shot straight at the keeper. Dave Wilkinson was following up but overran the keepers parry and the Tigers were frustrated again. |
| It might've been another penalty when Chris Thompson found room in the box, beat Small with a clever dummy and then went to ground. But it looked as though the City wing back had overrun the ball and gone down. Maybe that's what the former Villa defender was trying to say when he audibly complained to the City man. |
| It was a case of third time lucky as Adam Hemming raced onto to a through ball from Jimmy Cox. The keeper was always going to be second to the ball and as the City man skipped around him, he turned his back and Hemming went over. There was no doubt about the penalty but as the keeper hadn't physically pulled Adam down I thought the red card that followed was a bit harsh. |
After a long delay to allow substitute Kerry Giddins to take over in goal, Andy Hoskins stepped up and placed the ball just wide of the stand-in keeper's dive and inside the right hand post. The official time for the goal was given as 37 minutes, although Mike Reeves and Martyn Ellis on the tannoy gave it as forty-one, so you can imagine the amount of time wasting and gamesmanship that took place in between.
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| It could've been two before the break when Neil Griffiths found himself on the ground in the penalty area as the ball fell to him, sadly though the skipper didn't get enough on his shot and it gave Giddins the chance to make a low save to his left and also boost his confidence for the second half. |
| A goal up at half time would do, but the performance left much to be desired and the Gaffer would have his work cut out to motivate his players for the second half. Having already made a change following the red card Stourport brought on their second sub at half time when Andy Wright replaced Paul Lloyd. |
| If Burnsy had given one instruction during the break then surely that would've been to shoot on sight. Andy Hoskins was the first to try when a long ball from the boss fell nicely for the City striker who attempted to volley on the turn but was unlucky to see the effort fly just wide of the post. |
| Next up was Jimmy Cox with a header from Adam Hemming's cross that just evdaded the far post. Coxy tried with his feet next but when played in by Wilko he could only stroke his shot wide of the upright. As Stourport came back into the game a rather heated series of challenges ended with a free kick to the away team and a yellow card for Lee Jeffries. |
| Although dominant in posession, City only had the one goal lead and had to be weary of the occasional counter attacks that Stourport were forming. One such move was well defended and City countered themselves through an Adam Hemming left wing sortee and Hosky was unlucky to see his brave header go wide. |
| The Swifts made their third and final change when striker Mark Jones replaced defender Steve Ulfig. City made a double substitution with Jethro and Wilko going off and Keith Knight plus debutant Liam Halliday taking their places. |
It seemed as though the City players seemed to be keen to get the game over and were content with the one goal and would rather sit back and argue amongst themselves, Adam Hemming seemed to be the one being berated, more often than not by Neil Mustoe. Not a good sign when surely an experienced ex-Pro should be encouraging the younger players.
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| It really should've been two for Hosky and thirty for the season when a move involving Hemming and Cox presented the ball to the league top scorer on the penalty spot with just the keeper to beat. Unfortunately Hosk was leaning back as he shot and sent the ball flying over the bar. |
| Youth teamer Halliday earned praise from Matt Bath when he got down well to block a goalbound shot from a dangerous Stourport break. Jimmy Cox had himself two half decent chances and should've done better, one of which ended with a verbal exchange between the striker and Mustoe. Not a good advert for the club. |
| The last chance to score came when City had a corner and Stourport left an unprecedented four men upfield. It came to nothing and although Hemming got an angled shot on target in injury time it flew straight at the keeper and didn't give the City player just reward for an impressive performance. |
| City had to dig deep to defend a free kick deep into injury time. Even Giddins went up but City comfortably cleared the ball and as Jimmy Cox fashioned an attack the ref blew for full time. |
| There was more action after the final whistle as a City fan vented his frustration in the direction of Burnsy. It was met with a bewildered shake of the head from the player boss and retribution towards the fan from Taff. Gulp! |
| Results elsewhere that saw both Cirencester and Halesowen lose, with Sutton Coldfield Town also drawing mean't that City move back up to fourth. Although it needs a good winning run to attain the sort of comfortable position currently held by Rugby United to ensure promotion to the Premier Division for next season. |
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