| Gresley Rovers. Did you realise that in Bulgarian, the words "Gresley Rovers" actually translates to "party poopers"?! When the Moatmen were originally promoted to City's divison, we were unable to beat them for at least the first six attempts, including the time when we lost a two goal lead to lose 2-3. And who can forget that they (and their ground) are also indirectly responsible for the Scummers rise from rags to riches.... |
| Last night Rovers came to Meadow Park as what would've been the third of a three home game run and the possibility of three home wins on the bounce, but the Yate game was lost to a floodlight failure so this one became more important as the Tigers sought to regain ground on the top seven. |
| Chris Burns had indicated that he would be rotating the squad, so Tom Webb started in place of Saturdays hero Jonny, erm, I mean Dave Wilkinson. Keith Knight and Adie Harris were left out (although Knight was on the bench) and their places were taken by the gaffer himself and Adam Hemming. |
| Dale Belford was playing his second game in Gloucester this season, having already seen his Atherstone team lose 1-4 in August, although, that didn't happen and it was actually a figment of our imagination. That said, there may have been cause for concern at his presence following the 'spitting incident' that took place during that match. |
| Whether there is unnecessary pressure on City at the moment is unknown but an incident early in the game may have raised eyebrows. Jimmy Cox found himself played into space at the far post but he was soon joined by Adam Hemming and the two somewhat got in each others way, with Cox berating the young wing back, not something I like to see. The chance was lost but it was for nothing as the linesman had raised his flag for offside. |
| City took the game to Gresley and were looking for an early advantage and indeed had a man advantage as the referee let play continue as we attacked with their player lying injured on the floor. When they did find some room it caused concern as Lee Smith easily had the ball flicked over him but the shot didn't equal the turn of skill from their man. |
| Lee's best part of his game is in attack and played a major part as Cox shot wide of the far post. Smudge made some space for himself, but his shot was blocked before it came back in for Jimmy's chance. Gresley replied with a seemingly goalbound shot snuffed out and the ball fell nicely for another attacker who instantly sent a wicked curling drive in just wide of the post. |
| With twenty minutes of the game gone City took the lead after a four man move involving a pass from Tom Webb, Lee Smith's chest, a touch to Neil Mustoe and a sublime cross from the former Man Utd player onto the head of the unmarked Andy Hoskins. |
| As the heavens opened over Meadow Park City were denied again by Belford when Webb, still looking for his first goal of the season saw his shot from a narrow angle flicked wide. The referee let himself and City down by awarding a goal kick. The whistler was then called into action as he booked a Gresley player after Matt Bath was left grounded following their free kick. |
| Smith followed him into the book when he unecessarily caught their player late without too much contact, although it would've been unfair not to caution the City man. Chris Burns wasted a chance to put City two up just before the break when his direct free kick sailed high over the bar after Lee Smith had been fouled en route to goal. |
| Jimmy Cox had two half chances but couldn't find the net on either occasion before Matt Bath and Chris Thompson combined to gift a goal for Gresley's Shaun Harrod. In pretty much the same way that Cox had scored at Sutton earlier this month, Harrad seized upon the loose ball to calmly slot home into the empty net and give the Gresley fans a cheer in first half injury time. |
| The Moatmen started the second period with their tails up thanks to their goal and could've made it two when a deep cross found it's way to the far post and their striker shot over from a good position. Moments later City's fans had their hearts in their mouths as the ball shot across the face of the goal following a free kick to the far post. |
| Still, after just over ten minutes had elapsed City edged in front again when Andy Hoskins seized upon defensive frailty to score his second. Lee Smith had been fouled on the right and the set piece beat everyone before Hemming picked up the loose ball, got to the line and crossed it back in. It was flicked on by a defender where Smith stopped it with his chest and Hosky's instinct saw him fire in an unstoppable shot into the far corner. |
| Five minutes later City scored again, and it was Hoskins who was in the right place at the right time to score his second hat trick of the season. Again, Gresley failed to clear a City corner and it fell kindly for City's top scorer to stab the ball past Belford for his nineteenth goal in as many games. |
| If we thought that that was three points in the bag then Gresley showed that they weren't going to give up when another ball fizzed across the face of the City goal, thankfully no-one was at hand to make it count. Adie Tandy came to the rescue when the Rovers centre half went down injured, didn't Gresley have a physio? It wasn't long though before their man had gone off injured as the first of Gresley's three substitutions. |
| Youth team prospect Dan Avery has warmed the bench in recent weeks but with City 3-1 he got his chance for his first team debut when Lee Jeffries came off with a slight calf strain as a precaution so that he'd be available for Saturdays Trophy game at Bath. |
| The warning signs that Gresley had stepped up a gear started when Neil Mustoe was caught in possesion on the halfway line and the Moatmen sent a shot just wide. Having already made their second sub moments earlier, Paul Spacey came on for the final five minutes./font> |
| Avery came under pressure with two attackers on him as a Gresley cross found it's way to the far post, the sixteen year old was outnumbered and the ball was tucked away by Gareth Holmes. Within a minute of the restart Spacey tried his luck from all of thirty yards and sent the away camp into delerium as his shot flew into the top left hand corner. It might've been worse as they could've taken all three points from a late corner when it was met by a header at the near post and flashed across goal. |
| It finished three all, a great point for Gresley, clearly echoed by the reaction of their young fans sounding horns in the car park and down Sudmeadow Road as they left. As much as we understand their delight, Dale Belford let himself down with his over the top celebration which could've easily prompted one of the T-Ender's into jumping onto the pitch and having a go. |
| However, we're still unbeaten at home but playing this way it won't be long before that record is broken. Let's hope for a better performance when we visit Twerton Park on Saturday. |
|
