| The FA Cup, "The greatest cup competition in the World, bar none" said Graeme Souness, a Scottish manager referring to a very English tradition. It's always good to be a giant killer, but crap when you're giant killed! |
| Today's defeat really shouldn't have been as much of a shock. Although Street play three leagues below us they were unbeaten in eight games so far this season and had already accounted for neighbours Cinderford Town. I don't need to tell you about City's recent rotten form and luck. |
| The problem today was with the available personnel for Chris Burns. It seemed that too many places were taken by either half fit players or those playing out of position. A look at the bench revealed three out of five players who were arguably unfit, and one of them (Neil Griffiths) was on the field whilst two goals were conceeded late in the game. |
| Chris Burns started at the back with Chris Thompson alongside the fit again Marvin Thompson. Smith, Webb, Mustoe, Knight and Stiles strung across the middle and Karl Bayliss was up front with Cox. Having announced his retirement before the game Baylo had the honour of leading the team out. |
| However, selection problems aside, that didn't stop a healthy array of City fans heading down the M5 via the Avonmouth Bridge roadworks to the quaint Somerset town. Street isn't really famed for football and the only real link that I could be bothered to find was that it's where Soccer AM babe Helen Chamberlain was born and bred. Of course, it's also home to a large proportion of foot fetishists as well thanks to every other shop in the High Street being a shoe shop and the Clarks Village. |
| The Tannery was very basic and hard to find. Had the hovering dark clouds (not metaphorically) produced any decent kind of rainstorm the players might've been treated to an off the field version of musical chairs as the supporters fought to get a place under the minimal cover. |
| From the dugout side of the pitch there was definately a hint of Weston Super Mare about the ground, although large parts had a Rothwell feel to it. The extra pitch behind the top goal reminded us of Odd Down but this place was steeped in it's own kind of uniqueness. |
Quite often when we play clubs from this level we recognise names who have dropped down a few levels as the years get the better of them but there were none at Street. They lined up with Who? Who? Who? Who? ....
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| The first half was all City, and other than one shot which knocked a nest out of a tall tree behind the goal Matt Bath was pretty much redundant. |
| Chris Thompson brought the best out of Tom Punchard in the home goal with a well hit shot from outside the area. From the ensuing corner, Baylo smacked the post with a header. The veteran striker was then brought down outside the box from where Burnsy curled a free kick around the wall and just wide. |
| The City player boss was caught out when their striker Jon Crowford ran at him, it was clear that he wasn't fit but there was nothing to worry about as Marvin breezed back to clear the danger. |
| City might've had a penalty when Baylo beat the offside trap and rounded the keeper only to be brought down, but there were no appeals and it looked as though the striker may've just slipped as he turned. The referee spoke to him but didn't book him for diving. |
| One of the criticism's of the game was that the City players were trying to walk the ball in or simply go for glory themselves. Jimmy Cox was guilty when he found room on the left, cut in and shot at a defender with options either side. |
| It didn't take long for the striker to get his name on the scoresheet though when a defender stuck out his hand to a Smith cross. Cox shot low and hard to the keepers left from twelve yards to give City a well deserved lead. |
| Straight away Lee Smith intercepted a poor pass, ran in on goal and smacked the outside of the post with his shot. This was followed by a shot narrowly wide from a free kick after Keith Knight was brought down. |
| Neil Mustoe showed the best and the worst of his game as he ran between three defenders on the edge of the box before cutting a pass back that was sent behind for a corner. He took the set piece, with the City men lining up for a run to the far post his woeful cross was headed away at the near post with no yellow shirt in attendance. |
Karl Bayliss got his name in the book ten minutes before the break following a clash with the centre half. But it was business as usual when Tom Webb headed Knight's cross wide of the post. Mustoe was surprisingly the furthest man forward when Jimmy Cox put him clear but he lost the ball under his feet and snatched at the shot when the opportunity presented itself.
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| Street Captain David Pople followed Bayliss into the notebook following a rash challenge on Tom Webb as the Tigers' midfielder skipped passed him. |
| City ended the half with another miss when Baylo headed a free kick wide. |
| There must've been something in Street's half time oranges as they came out for the second half looking like a side possessed as Crowford forced a good save from Matt Bath on his near post. |
| Defender Craig Rice earned himself a stupid booking when he kicked the ball away following a free kick awarded against his team. Punchard saved the set piece well and was also equal to an effort from Cox as he shot from an angle, even though the City striker was falling as he hit the ball. |
| The referee had made his presence felt throughout the game with his audible instructions to both teams, but then he pushed it by sending off Burns. Young Jake Burns that is, who was sat on the City bench! |
| More frustration followed as Lee Smith made light work of beating two defenders near the corner flag and his clever pass to Baylo was just cut out by the Street player before the veteran striker could tap the ball in. |
| City made their first change with Lee Davis replaced Kenny Stiles at left wing back. Neither player is a defender and with Dan Avery on the bench many were wondering why the youngster wasn't chosen ahead of both of them. |
Baylo sent in a volley after linking up with Jimmy Cox from a Burns free kick and it flew inches wide with the keeper beaten but at the other end Street got an equaliser. A throw down the wing saw a cross beat everyone and Simon Baker got between Davis and Bath and scored at the second attempt.
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| It was back to City attacking as a defender had to be alert to clear a dangerous Cox cross. Chris Burns who really shouldn't have started was replaced by Neil Griffiths, a player who was also far from match fit after he limped out of the game last Saturday with a torn muscle. |
| Then disaster struck as Bath could only parry a stinging shot from Ingram and Jon Miller bundled in the rebound. The City fans were shellshocked. |
| Following a break for an injury Street striker Jon Crowford tried to rally his teammates and shouted to them not to throw away their lead. Baylo rose highest to nod in Knight's free kick. |
| The ex-Reading winger almost put the Tigers back in front with a twenty-five yard shot but as ever it went straight down the keeper's throat. Tom Webb was just beaten to a pass from Cox as the centre half stepped in to clear. |
| Street's eventual winner came from the penalty spot, the sixth penalty that City have conceeded so far this campaign. It came about following a run into the box that was met by three City defenders, although it was unclear what had happened before the referee pointed to the spot. For the first time Matt Bath guessed right and even though he got two hands to the ball he couldn't prevent it from hitting the roof of the net. |
| No such luck for City and it showed when Neil Mustoe charged down a clearance and it flew the wrong side of the post. Baylo sent another header wide and then Marvin Thompson became the second name into the ref's book when the winger seemed to run straight into him. |
| We might've got a draw, the least we deserved when Baylo was the victim of a kick in the head in the penalty are for which the referee only saw fit to give an indirect free kick when arguably we should've had a penalty. Instead of just ramming the ball into the wall a short pass found it's way to Marvin who could only sidefoot wide, much to the delight of the home fans. |
| Neither side got what they'd deserved from the game. |
| It was a long and pondersome walk back to the car after the game as I wondered whether I was wasting my time watching this football team. The looks on the faces of some of the other City fans as they left for the short drive home said so much. I wonder how many will be at Meadow Park for the Cheltenham game on Tuesday? |
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| Tiger Roar Man of the Match - Neil Mustoe |
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Neil Mustoe
Star Man |
| A Captains' display this afternoon, ironically on a day where he'd given over the armband to Karl Bayliss as he was playing his last game for City before his retirement. If this season is going to be the struggle that the past few weeks have suggested then we'll need more of his tenacity in midfield. He summed up his effort with a diving attempt at blocking a pass with his chest late in the game, appeals for handball were ignored and he must've felt it. |
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