| After a bad few days at boardroom level at Meadow Park and many fans at rock bottom as we approach an uncertain few months, Andy Hoskins' late penalty to give City a point against leaders Redditch United really served as something of a pick me up to the Tigers faithful. |
| The pre-match entertainment was provided by none other than the COF's own Dr Wart Hoover. An experience to behold, one I'm sure that was lost on the away fans and even a warm welcome to James Cox, his favourite referee was a step out of the ordinary and maybe against League rules! |
| The Red's are managed by Rod Brown, a man who played for City during the Autumn of 1990 when he formed a less than deadly partnership with Jeff Meacham. He'd come to City as a nightclub manager from Birmingham and had already had Scottish League experience with Dundee United, Arbroath and Brechin City. He said alot for Scottish football! |
A team doesn't sit on top of the league all season without having quality in their ranks. Some of the players that Brown has to call on include recent signing from Evesham Sean Flynn who has a wealth of league experience including time with Coventry, West Brom and Tranmere Rovers. Goalkeeper Richard Anstiss is among the best in the league, Alex Cowley on the wing is wasted at this level and the forwards including Richard Leadbeater, Scott Voice, Richard Burgess and Martin Myers have enough know-how and goals among them to put the frighteners on any team.
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| For the Tigers, after the ill-timed news of Lee Jeffries' season threatening injury, Neil Griffiths moved back into defence alongside Adam Howarth and Chris Burns. Lee Smith and Tom Webb both returned from suspension to form a line across the middle with Wilko, Neil Mustoe and Chris Thompson in the left wing back position. Up front was Jimmy and Hosky. Who needs an embarrasment of strikers when we have two of the best! |
| Every now and again the team runs out with a mascot, you know, "ten year old Adam supports Manchester United and Gloucester City. His favourite player is..." Well today we had the World's oldest mascot in Tony Mills. On his sixtieth birthday the father of the Mills clan was awarded the #60 shirt and allowed to run out with the team. A nice touch for a great clubman. |
| The importance of the game was hammered home within the opening few minutes thanks to a typically late, tenacious, clattering challenge by City midfielder Dave Wilkinson. How he got away without a yellow card I'll never know. More was to come as defensive uncertainty led to a angled shot from Jimmy Quiggan which Matt Bath did well to parry. As the ball was cleared a scuffle erupted although no-one was booked. |
| To emphasise the danger that they possessed, Redditch's diminutive striker Martin Myers sent in a dipping shot just over the crossbar. Bathy had it covered but the way they'd opened the game showed why they have been on top of the league from day one. |
City's first glimpse of an opening came when Lee Smith beat the offside trap but his initial uncertainty gave Reds keeper Anstiss a valuable second to get to the ball first. City had something of a purple patch as Hosky was fouled on the edge of the box but Neil Mustoe's free kick only amounted to catching practice for the keeper. Another free kick saw a scramble followed by the ball being comfortably cleared off the line.
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| It was inevitable that someone was going to fall victim to the referee's notebook and unfortunately it was City's Neil Griffiths who succumbed following a foul. Worse almost followed as Tom Webb was caught in possession whilst clearing a Redditch corner. Myers took one touch before lashing a shot towards the top corner and bringing the best out of Matt Bath. |
| City tried to get back at Redditch and the increasingly lively Jimmy Cox made room on the corner of the box before cutting the ball back to Tom Webb who slid in but could only direct a shot the wrong side of the post. It's was Jimmy's turn to try his luck next following a well worked one-two with Hosky, however Anstiss was quick to read the danger and did well to block it. |
| A long range shot which Bath saw wide was the closest that Redditch got during a spell of City pressure. Lee Smith created a good chance for Hosk after a nice pass from Webby set him free. The wing back found the league's top scorer at the far post but Hosky belied his position by shooting over. |
| As half time approached the away side broke City hearts when a nice move culminated in a clever ball behind the defence saw midfielder Richard Softley ghost in to deftly lob the ball over the advancing Matt Bath. It was a real stunner as City had weathered the early storm and were looking the more likely to score when Redditch actually did. |
The second half started with an incident between Hosky and Redditch defender Gary Knight. From a free kick the the City man and the centre back seemed to clash, then went to ground and as Hosky got up seemed to 'stand' on Knight's head, accidentally of course!
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| The City defence were caught napping as a long throw into the penalty area really should've finished with a goal. Myers could only shoot over from a very good position, I'm sure his namesake and Gloucester City legend Stan would've done much better. Even at his age! |
| Lee Smith was having a quiet game out wide, mainly due to his opponent Alex Cowley, but when he cut inside he was creating untold havoc. One foray ended with him being cut down on the edge of the area but the following free kick from Burnsy was wasted as he drilled the ball straight into the wall. |
| With two left sided players on the bench it was no surprise that City's first change saw Chris Thompson replaced, but it was elder statesman Adie Harris who came on and not young Adam Hemming. Another teenager, Tom Webb almost earned City a penalty when he was fouled on the edge of the box. Neil Mustoe's free kick was cleared, but only as far as Smith who drilled in a long range shot that Anstiss had to watch safely out. |
| Webb made another run, this time beating two defenders near the corner flag and heading for the near post where his drilled cross was cleared for a corner by the defender under pressure from Coxy. |
Redditch made two changes in a matter of minutes. First off was goalscorer Softley being replaced by Danny Scheppel. That was followed by top scorer Leadbeater being relieved by Richard Burgess, a striker who numbers Aston Villa, Stoke City and Port Vale among his previous clubs.
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| There were fireworks with fifteen minutes to go, literally, as some knob in the T-End threw a lightning flash onto an unoccupied part of the pitch yet very close to a spectator. Listen up boys, this isn't Galatasaray, OK? |
| As has become natural now, Dave Wilkinson was substituted and replaced by Keith Knight, a player who could bring some finesse to City's midfield play. The veteran winger didn't have to wait long for some action as a handball on the edge of the box presented him with a set piece. His free kick aimed for the far post where Adam Howarth nodded back across the face of goal and Jimmy Cox scooped it over the bar from just three yards out. |
| Howarth had another chance as he headed directly at the keeper from a Knight corner. Then Lee Smith tried to repeat his goal from Ilkeston when his cross just skimmed the crossbar at the far post but this time it flew away for a goal kick instead of dropping into the net. |
| City tried again and won a corner that was all too easily cleared. However, as the ball was cleared to the edge of the box Adam Howarth swung his leg and sent in a volley that was heading for the top corner, an act done so quickly that everyone stood and watched (including Anstiss), well, almost everyone except Redditch defender Neil Manton who made a wonderful save. Shame that he did it in front of the T-End who rather audibly pointed it out. |
The referee pointed to the spot and after a moment or two's hesitation, booked the Redditch man. Now this is what annoys me about referee's. Last week Stourport's goalkeeper should never have been sent off because he didn't deliberately bring down Hemming (unless he is a devious swine who covered himself well) but today the defender should've walked because the intention was there. The shot would've flown in yet we had to suffer a nervy penalty which Hosky placed inside the post, just beating the keeper's dive.
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| This clearly upset a pocket of travelling fans as they took it upon themselves to move from behind the bottom goal back up to the T-End where they did their level best to goad the City fans. It didn't work and those in red should be ashamed of their behaviour whilst the Tigers' fans can be proud of theirs. |
| The only hint of trouble came on the pitch as Neil Mustoe went into a challenge with far too much gusto and else up on the floor having a wrestle with Redditch captain Mark Taylor. Pretty much every player except both goalkeepers were straight onto the scene and the scuffle was broken up. Yet, again, the referee chose not to wave a red card and booked both players when they really should've been sent off. |
| The time that Redditch had been wasting whilst they were a goal up could've come back to haunt them as a spirited City went looking for a winner but as Anstiss took a goal kick the referee whistled for full time. |
| Just to take the gloss off the result, we've now dropped to seventh place and the need to put together a decent winning run is more important than ever. Elsewhere, both Bromsgrove and Halesowen lost, with Yeltz boss Brendan Phillips walking out after the game, so there's always someone worse off. |
| The Redditch fans finished the day by heading off down Llanthony Road tearing up the roadworks at the new Severn Bridge. Well done lads, you ought to be proud of yourselves! |
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