| It's now four straight defeats for City, a run of results so bad that I can't remember the last time that it happened. It wouldn't be so bad but only one of our opponents were anything special, and we were 2-0 up against Chippenham. The rest; Chesham, Histon and today's opponents Hemel are unlikely to have a say, so it makes the run even more galling. |
| As per the programme notes, Noah stated that we didn't know anything about our visitors. I know nothing of their team, except that maybe James Bent was the same one who showed much promise as a youngster for Yeovil Town a while ago. Hemel itself is a soulless commuter town in the Home Counties with a magic roundabout like Swindon and a town design straight out of 'On the Buses'. Awww, Oi'll get you Butler.... |
| Chris Burns had promised to field a starting eleven with more will to win than those that had finished the game at Hardenuish Park on Monday, but the main change necessary, Baylo up front, didn't happen because he wasn't fit enough for ninety minutes. Instead we continued with Matt Aubrey, a player so out of his depth that he takes to the field wearing a rubber ring. |
| It was quite a physical mismatch as the side from Hertfordshire lined up like a team from the Land of the Giants (© Lindsay Parsons 1994). It was no more evident than in the number eleven shirts where the pint-sized Adie Harris squared up to alongside the gangly figure of Dean 'too-tall' Palmer. |
| City were slow out of the blocks and they must've been glad that Marvin Thompson wasn't as the pacy defender made up ground on Hemel's George 'Arthur' Fowler when he was put clean through. No such luck for the Tigers though when Jimmy Cox broke as the ball hit him on the back when he seemed to have a clear route to goal from a long clearance. |
With his tail up following his super strike at Chippenham Tom Webb tried to replicate the feat with a similar cut in and shot. The keeper stopped it but it was too hot to handle and had to claim the effort at the second attempt.
|
|
|
| On-loan striker Aubrey tried his luck from distance and the keeper had to be alert to cover it and Cox again had no luck when he beat the offside trap but was forced wide before he was fouled just outside the box. |
| Marvin Thompson found Lee Smith with a well worked move down the wing and Jimmy Cox couldn't quite get a touch to Lee's dangerous cross as the Hemel defender scooped it away for a corner. As Mustoe's poor set piece was cleared Smith did well to time a tackle and as the danger seemed to have been cleared a fortunate deflection put in their striker. In pretty much the same vein as Chippenham conceeded a penalty on Monday, Marvin gave away a foul for the third time in two weeks which Bryan Hammatt despatched to put the away team ahead. |
| It wasn't long before City were level though thanks to a Webb cross that found his ex-Youth team colleague Smith at the far post where he looped a header over the keeper and into the net. I might be wrong but I think thats the first header Lee had ever scored for the Tigers. |
| With the referee not too shy to give penalties it was disppointing that he didn't see the arm that was all over Aubrey as the striker turned in the area. It was also a shame that he was unsighted when Lee Smith's goalbound shot seemed to be block by a defender's hand. |
| Jimmy Cox, clearly missing Andy Hoskins and virtually filling in for him by jumping for the long balls had half a chance before the break but pulled his shot across the goal. All square at the interval, City were struggling but Hemel were no great shakes. |
| Something must've been said by Burns at half time but the only obvious change that was made was the number four falling off the back of Neil Griffiths' shirt. With just five minutes gone though defender Marvin Thompson was withdrawn and his ex-Cheltenham colleague Lee Davis replaced him, seemingly slotting into the middle of midfield. |
Again the referee denied City a spot kick, this time as Smith wriggled his way past a defender only to have his legs flicked away. Lee sat on the floor amazed as the offical ran away without even altering the look on his face.
|
|
|
| The Tigers defence were pulled all over the shop as Hemel countered with a free header smacking against the bar as Matt Bath watched. City made their second change when Aubrey went off and Baylo came on. |
| It should've been two to City when with his first touch the veteran striker flicked the ball into the path of Davis, but the young striker missed the target and shot high into the T-End at the fans who were chanting "If you all hate Cheltenham clap your hands". Or maybe he did hit the target? |
| Back onto the subject of penalties and the Hertfordshire side were awarded their second of the game when Dan Avery mistimed a tackle on Pauline Fowler as he burst into the box. The referee was that far from the incident that he blew with the whistle in one hand and binoculars in the other. The reason that Avery wasn't booked (or indeed sent off) was because nobody would hold the man in blacks' accoutriments for him. |
| Bath was sent the wrong way again and Hammatt doubled his haul. |
| Hemel's Andy Cooke became the first name in the book when he squared up to Jimmy Cox then stupidly kicked out at the City man as he ran past. For an off the ball incident like that he should've had an early bath. |
There was entertainment at the T-End as the keeper went down like he'd been shot following a fifty / fifty challenge with Karl Bayliss. After he'd been treated he tried to waste some time and Cox came in with a charge that just caught him. He ended up on the floor, with the ball in his hands waiting for a whistle that never came and got done for time wasting.
|
|
|
| To make matters worse he threw the ball away and was booked. In all honesty it was rough justice for the goalkeeper but it was bloody good fun to watch. The indirect free kick in the penalty area was taken by Neil Mustoe, so you can guess what happened. |
| The referee was in danger of losing control but affirmed his authority by booking Darren Greaves, their shaven headed substitute and also Baylo for questioning his decisions. The card would haunt Greaves in injury time. |
| Kenny Stiles replaced the ineffective Adie Harris and City put their opponents under great pressure. The equaliser, the least that City deserved came when Lee Smith tapped in a loose ball after Jimmy Cox was bundled over by the keeper. Cox had done well to win the ball after being blocked off by a defender following Baylo's flicked header. |
| Another booking, this time for Hemel's Bobby Highton after he'd pulled Lee Davis to the ground but he had the last laugh after Greaves beat the offside trap and Hammatt struck following Bath's point blank save. |
| City went to pieces and Hammatt could've bagged a fourth when his lob cleared Bath but also missed the far post. It was his last act as he was replaced in a time wasting substitution but Greaves followed him as he stuck out a leg to deny City a quickly taken free kick. After the game he tried to swing at the referee but had to be held back by three of his team mates. |
| A poor defeat against undeserving opponents. This felt lower than the 0-4 defeat at Cinderford two years ago. Word was that Chris Burns was on the verge of quitting, lets hope not but at the same time hope that he gets ruthless with one or two of his charges. |
| With the crowd on the increase it was the majority that went home unhappy with just a minibus full of fat cockneys smiling as the traffic queued at the lights by the new Severn Bridge. Next stop Twerton park. |
|
| Tiger Roar Man of the Match - Lee Smith |
|
Lee Smith
Star Man |
| Lee, playing out wide on the right in a 4-4-2 formation shone as City slumped to an unlucky defeat against the Hertfordshire side. Always willing to try something special when running with the ball, but can sometimes get caught out by showing too much to the defender. He scored two good goals and should've been given a penalty, but the referee had other ideas. |
|
|
