| On a harsh late Autumnal day we entertained ex-Ryman League big shots Bedford Town for the return fixture that was played at the New Eyrie in baking sunshine back in August. |
| Going into the game the Eagles had been in incredible form winning five of their previous six games, that coming after not being able to score in their first four games of the campaign. |
| We'd shared the points in the opener in a goalless draw, although Bedford seemed to have the better of the game as both teams seemed too cautious to really go for it. Thats one view, but City's strike force of Matt Aubrey and Lee Davis were never really going to score enough goals to open a goalden boot shop at the end of their careers. |
| Chris Burns stated that he saw no reason to change a winning team, even with the fit again Lyndon Tompkins on the bench. Also missing was teenage goalscoring hero Micheal Noakes, and the fact that we didn't win until Jimmy Cox came on kind of blew the Gaffer's theory out of the water. So again we started with E***n instead of fans favourite Coxy, so from a female perspective, instead of Cox we had a c**t up front. |
| We knew as little about Bedford today as we knew about them on the opening day of the season, but they did boast former Scottish youth International Chris Dillon up front. It might sound impressive but judging by the national game North of the Border these days, it really isn't much to shout about. |
| Upon entering Meadow Park it seemed that Bedford had brought two supporters coaches, although there weren't enough Eagles fans to suggest that they'd filled one, let alone both. They'd only brought one coach so who the rogue vehicle belongs to remains a mystery to this day. |
| Considering that it had been two weeks since the Tigers had last seen action (thanks to their woeful display against Kings Lynn in the FA Trophy), it was no real surprise that Bedford, the form team, looked stronger from the start. |
| That wasn't to say that City weren't looking to attack, but with just one forward it was always going to be hard work. Wilko got on the end of an Addis flick from a corner but it was merely a rare breather from the Bedford pressure. |
Jason James forced Matt Bath to go down onto the hard surface to hold his low shot from distance before the inevitable happened and the Eagles swooped into the lead. Lee Smith was at fault as he didn't clear an atack when he had the chance and the ball was returned to the far post where Dave Challinor lashed an unstoppable half volley into the back of the net.
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| The young wing back tried to make amends from the kick off as he ran across the edge of the box before shooting just wide of the far post. |
| Yet less than a two minutes after Bedford had taken the lead they made it two. Dillon found room just outside the area for a shot which Bath struggled to hold and Paul Fewings was on hand to roll the loose ball into the far corner. Normally I'd be gutted to fall behind in such a manner, but since the arrival of the hated one I really couldn't care! |
| It was all Bedford now in a game mirroring the way that Kings Lynn had kept us at bay at one end and ripped us apart at the other. The Eagles had a direct free kick in line with Bath's goal which was taken by full back Steve Jackman with all the power of Roberto Carlos only to be bravely / stupidly (delete as appropriate) brought to a halt by the body of a City defender. Such a shame that E***n was loitering on the halfway line instead of being in the wall. |
| City needed to find a way back into the game before the break but it just wasn't happening, when a chance did come from a corner the ball hit the post and bounced away to safety. |
| But out of the blue Keith Knight pulled a goal back for the Tigers. A high ball into the box was let bounce by both Bedford defenders as neither of them took responsibility to complete the clearance and Knight nipped in the slam a shot past James Robinson in the Town goal. |
| Even though that was ten minutes before the break there was only one meaningful shot, coming from Smith as he cut in from the right. It was a comfortable save by the keeper although he put on a show for the cameras as flash bulbs went crazy all around following his full length catch. |
| If the first half had been largely dominated by Bedford then City turned the tables on their Amazon.co.uk opponents for the second forty-five minutes. |
| Tom Webb has been full of energy in midfield recently but he needs to work on his shooting, as his attempt at the start of the half suggested when he sent in a wicked air shot. All wasn't lost though as the ball eventually found it's way to E***n who also missed the ball in front of goal. |
| What was generally an exciting and end to end game suffered a brief lull for a few minutes before E***n got the goal which will no doubt earn him a permanent move to Meadow Park with his buddies. |
City finally grabbed an equaliser when a cross from Smith found it's way to the far post where the new fickle fans favourite stumbled and the ball hit him on the head from a foot out. I felt like a Bedford fan as it went in.
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| The Eagles were mere spectators now and were lucky to still be in it as a shot from Chris Thompson was deflected onto the post. |
| Incredibly City have gone two whole games without seeing a yellow card from the man in black but Captain Neil Mustoe could count himself lucky to not get a booking as he pulled back a Bedford player as he broke away from midfield. The Eagles then must've had grounds for complaint as minutes later one of their men was cautioned for a similar offence on Webby. |
| City finally gave support up front for Daryl Addis when Jimmy Cox was brought on to replace Keith Knight. Jimmy has now come off the bench as many times as he's started games. No wonder we're struggling. |
| Bedford made their first change too, Ashley Blake replacing Jackman. |
| What looked like a poor corner from Thommo found Burns on the edge of the box and was headed into the danger area where top scorer Wilko turned and hooked the ball just over the crossbar. This was followed by good link up play between Cox and Addis that saw the latter brought down but the loose ball eventually found it's way to E***n who missed a sitter from inside the six yard box. I enjoyed that. |
| Minutes later E***n was again in the wrong place at the right time as the only City player available to score from yards out. Again he missed and fortunately his time on the pitch was curtailed with the introduction of Lee Davis. Sadly though, he'd wasted eighty-five minutes of our afternoon with a great performance for Cheltenham. |
| Bedford might've pinched all of the points with a very rare attack but Bath got down well to deny and the only chance left for City was a near post glancing header by Coxy from a Burns free kick. |
| This was a game that we should've won and we would've won had we started with our best strikeforce and not a mercenary, over the hill, pretty touch to no effect merchant who isn't fit to wear a City shirt. |
| See you all at Bath next week! |
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| Tiger Roar Man of the Match - Neil Mustoe |
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Neil Mustoe
Star Man |
Another sterling performance from the City Captain who seems to love playing football during the winter months. Didn't go anywhere near a set piece and didn't have to as his best football is played while City don't have the ball.
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