| In what seemed like a mirror image of matches that were taking place all over the spectrum of the non-league game, at the end of April the Supporters Club were invited by outgoing Chairman Colin Gardner to take part in a match against Chris Burns' first team. At £10 a head for the fans, everyone was happy as the SC raised money, wannabee footballers and Joe Green got to play on the same pitch as the footballers that they watched very week and we all had a good laugh. |
| The Supporters team started at a disadvantage having competed in the Pete Chase Cup game just two days earlier. Many of their legs wouldn't have been used to such a strenuous workout and would've been suffering. However, credit to those that did play and most didn't show any signs of fatigue. In fact the only casualty on the Supporters side seemed to be Darran Pearce who hobbled off the pitch at the end of the game. |
| The mis-match that most were looking forward to was going to be the midfield face off between Kev Woodham and his anti-hero Chris Burns. Sadly the Stonehouse Stopper made up for his lack of action on the park by putting in a very accomplished performance between the sticks. Phil Gough, now fifty years old, was making a guest appearance for the fans but there was no need for first aid as he was too slow to clobber anyone. Up front, the main attacking thrust would come from Gloucester City LFC stars Yvette Kemp and Helen 'Mouse' Wood. |
On the bench for the Supporters were Joe Green wearing rugby boots, who would go on to perform in a manner that would be described as "neither use nor ornament" and young Mark Compton, a teenager who would more than make his mark on the game.
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| For City, it was a topsy-turvy starting eleven. Looking as though he'd picked the team backwards City boss Chris Burns' XI had goalkeeper Matt Bath up front, top-scorer Andy Hoskins at left back, physio Adie Tandy in goal and winger Keith Knight at centre half. Lee Jeffries formed a midfield partnership with Burns' son Jake whilst Neil Mustoe and Mike 'Bill' Cook played on the wings trying to supply crosses for Bath's partner Chris Gardner. |
| Predictably City started off strongly when Gardner forced a save from Woodham as both showed that they weren't just there for the fun of it, although playing for fun the City Coach does have some footballing pedigree having represented City at Horton Road back in the Seventies. Kev the Keeper showed that his save wasn't a fluke as he followed up with a smart low save from a Matt Bath shot. |
| The Supporters goal led a charmed life for a short time as a corner was cleared off of the line but it couldn't last and didn't as Lee Jeffries converted a Mike Cook cross with his head after seven minutes. |
Woodham performed heroics as he denied Bath for a second time when he tipped the keeper-cum-striker's shot over the bar and then pulled off a great one-handed save when Matty tried to nod Cook's cross in.
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| If Matt Bath couldn't score then he made up for it by becoming supplier when he played in Jake Burns who crossed for Chris Gardner to tap in and double City's lead. Jake's dad then came close when he sent a long range piledriver narrowly wide, but Bath made it fourth time lucky when he sprung the offside trap and galloped through to place the ball wide of Woodham and inside the near post to finally claim a goal. |
| The City Supporters looked as though they could defend too as Jeffries made an uncharacteristic run through the midfield. He tried to round the City keeper by didn't count on the presence and sheer persistence of Travis Whittaker, the Supporters 'Rock' at the back who marshalled him wide of the goal before totally closing the angle. |
| But at the other end the Supporters showed that they weren't there to make up the numbers as Matt Clift forced a good save from Tandy in the City goal. That was followed by an effort that just went wide from Mark Compton and it was third time lucky as the fans finally got the goal that they had deserved when Clift found Compton who sent in a shot that Tandy had no answer to (other than to pick it out of the net). |
It was a pass from father to son and Jake Burns was through on goal with just Woodham to beat when referee Russell Price (operating without linesmen) blew up for offside. For a split second you could see Dad's disappointment that his boy had been denied by the creature that he spends most Saturday afternoon's aiming daggers at. There seems to be no such thing as a friendly for Chris Burns as far as referee's are concerned!
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| Things were going against City as the Supporters continued to enjoy their purple patch. Lee Mills had a shot saved but the keeper inexplicably threw the ball straight out to the 'sunglasses wearing' Trevor Howard who calmy slotted the ball home for the fans' second. |
| The half finished with a shot by Jake Burns well saved by Kev Woodham. |
| Far from being overrun, the Supporters had done well to hold their more illustrious opponents, but it would be uphill in the second half following the introductions of Chris Thompson, Adam Hemming, Neil Griffiths, Lee Smith, Adie Harris and Dave Wilkinson. The fans countered it by just throwing all their players on and going into the half with thirteen players! |
| Despite all of those big names, it seemed that the Supporters 4-4-4 formation was working as the two ladies in the fans XI combined to level the scores. A smart pass from Kempy found Mouse who made no mistake. |
It wouldn't last though as Wilko started a short spell that put daylight between the teams. The midfielder, wasted at Brockworth Parish according to Knight finished a move involving Jake Burns and Hemming.
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| A few minutes later Hemming got one for himself when he tapped in at the far post before Lee Smith seized upon the ball as it pinged around the area to shoot under the keeper and make it six. Wilko then bagged his second with a header and the City substitutes had more than doubled their goal tally from their first half counterparts. |
| To underline that the luck was going against City a lovely turn and shot from outside the area by Mouse smacked against the angle of post and crossbar and at the other end young Burns finally got his goal when he shot over Woodham's right shoulder following a pass from Chris Thompson. |
| The supporters may well have had thirteen players on the pitch (well, it was fourteen really as a youngster in a Liverpool shirt had snuck on unnoticed) but you may as well have knocked Joe Green off the teamsheet as he did nothing to warrant being on there! |
The highlight of his game came when whilst attempting to 'defend', he left his legs wide open and was nutmegged by Thommo. Maybe his spoiling style worked though as the City man was laughing too hard to shoot!
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| The fans hadn't finished their scoring though as they were awarded a penalty and with Helen Wood against sub keeper Adie Harris it was no contest as the hotshot netted and the City veteran dived into a puddle right up to his muddle. They almost need divers to fish him out! |
| No sooner had the game restarted when City scored another, this time Physio Adie Tandy netted with an audacious lob over Woodham for the most unlikely of goals. A penalty at one end was followed by one at the other and finally a goal that counted for Harris (he'd scored against Yate but the game was abandoned due to floodlight failure). |
| The last act of the game came when Adam Hemming scythed down the now 'too dark for sunglasses' Howard to earn a red card. He trudged off for an early bath and toyed with the idea of just going back on but thought better of it and took his punishment. I just hope the GFA weren't watching! |
| The final whistle sounded and it had finished 10-4 (Roger) to City. |
| It was a great game, maybe one to rival Man Utd v's Arsenal even and will hopefully be repeated at the close of next season. Thanks to all that took part and those who raised money for the Supporters Club. |
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