| Ahh the joys of the Noddy, erm, I mean GFA Senior Cup. Last night City took the opportunity to exact some revenge on Mangotsfield United as they beat them comfortably 4-2 after extra time. |
| With both teams involved in important FA Cup ties on Saturday, this was always going to be a game contested by weakened teams. The Bristol side rested seven of their regulars and City started with just Neil Griffiths, Steve Jenkins, Chris Thompson, Lee Smith and Dave Wilkinson from the first team. There was extra firepower on the bench though, as both Jimmy Cox and Neil Mustoe would come on later to change the course of the game. |
| It was a cold night at Meadow Park and the first half didn't really offer much to warm up the couple of hundred souls who'd braved the conditions. There were a number of half chances at either end, the best of which falling to occasional striker Smith who produced a good shot with the outside of his boot which Mango's keeper Tony Malessa was equal to. |
| The Man Utd of non-league football took the lead after ten minutes when Dean Griffiths tapped home a rebound from eight yards out. It came after a very good long range shot smacked against the crossbar leaving Eric Barratt in the City goal stranded. City replied with a header from debutant striker Craig Jones that hit the bar, the away side failed to clear the ball and Jones had another chance but could only squeeze his shot wide of the far post. |
| City were awarded the first of two penalties as half time approached when Smith was almost kicked in the face by ex-pro Jason Drysdale. Lee took the kick himself and scored the equaliser for City, or so we thought. The referee had other ideas as he penalised the Tigers for encroachment and the kick was retaken, this time it was well saved. Jones didn't agree with the decision and told the ref as much, so he was booked for dissent. |
| There could've been goals at either end in the next few minutes but Griff failed to connect properly with a corner and made easy work for the keeper, then they headed just over the bar. At half time the Mango's were in front. |
| The first meaningful action of the second half came when Wilko was harshly booked for an innoculous looking challenge which left his opponent on the floor. Then with a little over five minutes gone, one of the more bizarre team selections of the night came to an end when centre half Karl Bayliss was replaced by Mussie. |
| Dave Wilkinson had more bad luck then as, after he'd been fouled in the box, his sidefooted penalty was easily saved as City missed their second spot kick of the night. To show that our luck wasn't in, a good cross hit the goalkeeper when players were queing up to nod it in. The keeper knew nothing about it! |
| Coxy came off the bench to liven things up, replacing the ineffective Adam Hemming and seeing City play a somewhat different formation with three men up front, a welcome change. City upped the tempo now and it was one way traffic as Adie Harris saw a long shot just clear the bar. The Mangos best chances were from set pieces, one free kick looked nice but flew wide. |
| Then, considering that City had already been awarded two penalties, a third one wasn't given although it was the clearest of the night. Jimmy Cox had sprinted clear and as he cut in from the edge of the box, he pushed the ball forward and the defender's challenge nudged his legs away. It was very similar to the appeal that he had turned down during the league game at Cossham Street in August. |
| More chances came as City looked for an equaliser. How Wilko missed from six yeards out only he will ever know, Griff got on the end of a corner but didn't time his header right and as it seemed that we'd go out of the County Cup Lee Smith popped up with a nicely worked shot that beat two defenders and the keeper. |
| So it was extra time that no-one really wanted! |
| With City easily being in control of the second half it was no surprise that we took an early lead during the extra thrity minutes. Cox beat the offside trap and advanced into the area, but as ever lately his shot was blocked by the keeper, then it took a bizarre richochet and end up in the back of the net. |
| Cox presented Wilko with a good opportunity from a cut back but the Mango's keeper was equal to it. Then Lee Smith seemed to have a succession of chances, although cynics would suggest that we would've gained more had he not been so greedy. |
| Craig Jones then gave us all a cheer when he got on the end of Smith low cross and sidefooted the third, although it would be cruel to suggest that it was actually an own goal. Craig is struggling at the moment after not playing regularly for a while, but hopefully he'll continue to improve and shake off the shackles of just being a lanky striker who doesn't jump. |
| Adie Harris, surely playing the longest game that he has for a while reminded us that he was still there as he showed up in the nick of time to pinch the ball of the Mango striker's foot as he was about to unleash a shot from the penalty spot. That was a nice piece of defending and only underlined how useful it is to have nippy players at the back. |
| Talking of old stagers, Shaun Penny, the ex-City striker and Mangotsfield assistant manager came on as substitute. That was either an absolute piss take or a desperate measure knowing how he's won two cup games at Meadow Park playing for teams from this division! |
| For the second period of extra time Keith Knight replaced Jones and City continued with their adventurous three men up front. David Seal had a great opportunity to reduce the arrears when he caught Barratt in no mans land but his lob cannoned against the crossbar and the rebound from Darren Edwards was easily claimed by the City reserve keeper. |
| City continued to pepper the Mangotsfield goal with attempts by both Cox and Smith narrowly missing. The fourth goal was quite soft really. Knighter's corner was headed in by Wilko who was unmarked in the six yard box. It was no more than he'd deserved from another industrious performance. |
| Within a minute the Bristol side had pulled a goal back when James Turner swept in a cross at the far post. The City fans actually cheered that one on their behalf because no-one seemed to care when it hit the net! There was just time for a double miss from Wilko when he had a shot saved, then headed the rebound against the bar. |
| I've heard unconfirmed reports that the next round will be away at Cinderford Town, so who knows, we could go all the way! |
