| Ah, jumpers for goalposts and all that, it's the FA Cup! |
| For most teams, taking on a team from a league above their own is always quite a daunting prospect, so when we were drawn against Merthyr Tydfil who could've blamed us for thinking that it would be the end of our cup run? |
| Lets not forget this time last year when we faced Newport County. We did well in the original tie but the Exiles wiped the floor with us in the replay. Even though their Welsh neighbours play at the same level, we have a rich cup (and trophy) history against the team from the head of the Valleys. |
| Just last season City upset the form book by nicking a win at Penydarren Park in the Trophy, then there was the 3-1 victory down there in 1991, again when we were a league below them. Of course, the most remarkable scoreline came in 1994 when we beat them 7-1 at Meadow Park. Current player Keith Knight had a major say in that game as he did in todays superb victory. |
| We were fortunate to actually have a game though as one of the linesmen failed to show up, after a frantic search for a registered official, Dave Thorne, the father of ex-City and current Merthyr defender Gary stepped into the breach. Maybe a talking point, but his performance was as good as any official that has blessed the line at Meadow Park so far this season. |
City kept the same starting eleven that saw off Team Bath, the only change was on the bench where new signing Craig Jones came in for Lyndon Tompkins. For Merthyr, there were familiar faces with Thorne, striker Cortez Belle, cultured midfielder Danny Carter and sweeper Adrian Needs. Needs was quite a player last season but today just looked fatter and slower!
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| For once City had the better of the opening minutes. Andy Hoskins shot well over the bar after he'd worked himself an opening, this was to be something he'd do all afternoon when faced with the goal. He then treated us to two seperate skillspots, beating two defenders with the ease of a player who'd spent his career at a higher level and not at this one. |
| Lee Smith came close for City when he seized upon a poorly cleared corner, but his shot followed the same trajectory set by Hosky's earlier shot and ended up high and wide. In a move of footballing class rarely seen at Meadow Park, Knighter set the ball in motion and three sharp passes and one-two's saw Chris Thompson presented with an opportunity on the edge of the box, but it was all spoiled by the defender who pinched the ball off of his toe as he was about to shoot. |
| A game of aerial ping pong on 22 minutes resulted in the Tigers scoring the opening goal. A City corner was headed clear by Gary Thorne, but only as far as Hosky, who headed it back towards goal. Lee Jeffries, who was up for the original set piece found himself within reach of what was a hopeful knock back and beat the keeper to the ball and shinned it inside the near post. Unfortunately, the goal was followed by a small scuffle on the T-End as the City fans celebrated the goal within punching distance of the away fans. |
| The Welsh team had hardly threatened the City half, let alone the goal and danger man Belle looked more like a £70 a week player than the £700 he is rumoured to be getting. The away fans didn't have any football to amuse them so they did it themselves with their 4's and 6's signs from the cricket. |
| Back to the action, a Keith Knight free kick almost bounced straight into the net but Merthyr keeper Neil Thomas was alert to the danger. From the ensuing counter attack the Welsh team could've easily had a penalty when it looked as though Steve Jenkins handled the ball in the area, fortunately the referee didn't think anything of it. |
| On a rare break, the only time the they offered any danger to City, their man could over shoot hopelessly over the T-End roof even though he had a clear sight of the target. What followed can only be described as their first real shot on goal, Belle could only head the ball straight at Matt Bath. Today was a day when Cortez wasn't going to be the Belle of the Ball! |
Even though City had a couple of half chances, it remained 1-0 at the break.
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| It was apparent that the Welsh boys had had a jolly good talking to during the break as they came out and showed more spirit in the first ten minutes than they had in the whole first half. Of course, this always leaves them vulnerable to counter attacks and with the pace of Jimmy Cox in the City teams, this is always a real threat. Cox did indeed break out and force a good save from Thomas on his near post. |
| City seemed to have the rub of the green all afternoon as far as the officials were concerned, either that or we'd forgotten the good old book of dirty tricks that we normally use. However, even I thought we were lucky to get away without even an indirect free kick in the area when Burnsy used his body to block the run of the Merthyr striker. |
| The first booking came on 53 minutes when the Merthyr number three failed to retreat properly for a City corner and blocked the ball from Knight's set piece. He was therefore responsible for the second City goal, as from the retaken kick, albeit five yards closer, Jethro jumped to head home off the far post. He'd made up for the goal taken off of him from the Atherstone game! |
| It could've been three a few minutes later but the Merthyr keeper was equal to the header that Griff flicked goalwards from Knight's deep free kick. Another nice three man move followed, but Knighter couldn't finish what he'd started when his shot bounced into the keepers hands. |
With an hour gone Matt Bath had his first real test when he had to dive low to his left to push a shot wide, for once the ball didn't go out and it was left to Burnsy to see it out off an attacker. Then came the pinnacle of Merthyr's pressure, a smart pass found the striker unmarked on the penalty spot, with just Bath to beat, he found the target blocked as Matty closed him down and prevented a certain goal. Merthyr may as well have gone home at that point.
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| The Yellows made their first change then, bringing on Dave Wilkinson for Burnsy. His first act was to spoil a nicely constructed breakaway by shooting from nowhere when we had a man over! |
| Hosky then headed against the bar from Lee Smith's pinpoint cross when it seemed as though it would be easier to score. The keeper was beaten, but he still couldn't follow up with the rebound and had to settle for a corner. From that corner Hosk then proceeded to flick Griff's header over the bar when it was already on target. Has his golden touch deserted him? |
| The desperation of the Premier League opponents showed as they threw everything bar the kitchen sink up front. Well, thats a lie, they stuck Thorney in attack. To even things up on the caution count, Mussie tripped the Merthyr player in his own half to earn a yellow card for a needless booking. |
| A great days work by Keith Knight was brought to an end with fifteen minutes to go when he was replaced by Tom Webb. Another change, this time the ineffective Cox going off for Adie Harris was only preceeded by a Merthyr shot which didn't give Bathy any trouble at all. |
| It was all over bar the shouting when Cortez Belle lobbed Bath, but as had happened all afternoon, his effort was touched wide and the big man had no luck. At 4.53pm, the referee ended Merthyr's miserable afternoon and City had easily beaten their higher ranked opponents. |
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