 |
|
| Match Summaries : February 2006 |
|
| City 1-1 Evesham United : Saturday February 4th 2006 |
City
1: Matt Bath
2: Jon Miller
(sub 61 mins)
3: Richard Mansell
(sub 17 mins)
4: Mark Preece
5: Jorge Ferro
6: Neil Mustoe
(sub 85 mins)
7: Chris Thompson
8: Tom Webb
9: Jody Bevan
10: Mike Whittington
(sub 79 mins)
11: Dave Wilkinson
Substitutes
12: Lee Randall
14: Adie Harris
for Richard Mansell
15: Luke Corbett
for Jon Miller
(goal 65 mins)
(booked 74 mins)
16: Jamie Reid
17: Daryl Addis
for Mike Whittington
|
|
|
|
Evesham United
1: Dave Adey
2: Anthony Watson
3: Richard Robinson
4: Steve Hands
5: Stephen Luckett
6: Gavin O'Toole
7: Leon Blake
8: Adam Blake
(booked 85 mins)
9: Richard Ball
(goal 59 mins)
10: John Williams
11: Robert Taylor
(sub 45 mins)
Substitutes
12: Joel Skyers
for Robert Taylor
13: Darren Knurek
14: Grant Pinkney
15: Paul West
|
As much as I hate to say it this had "Six-pointer" written all over it, so it's a shame that we only got the one!
Tim Harris kept faith with the same starting eleven that had been beaten by Bath but following a 4-0 win over Pegasus and 0-0 draw against Forest Green in friendles he would've expected more from his new charges. The surprise was that he'd left Luke Corbett on the bench and preferred the diminutive Michael Whittington up front.
A few weeks earlier the Robins had left their mark on Grantham Town as they had two players sent off against Lee Glover's team. We can't say we weren't warned and Rich Mansell might've appreciated knowing that too as he was hurt in a block tackle with one of their players. He was replaced by Adie Harris with the game just minutes old.
The Tigers attacked the Robins as you'd expect with a big cat against a poncy little bird and had two good chances from Whittington, first with an overhead kick and then with a free header at the far post. The former was unlucky but the latter made him look a proper Dick. Poor old Luke must've wondered why he was getting splinters in his ass.
But it was third time lucky for City they swept forward again and following a bit of pinball action in the penalty area Whittington scuffed a free shot at goal (send him back!) and the loose ball fell to Tom Webb who took one touch and slammed it home. However, the lino had ruled the inactive Jody Bevan as offside and the goal didn't stand. Wanker!
Then it was Evesham's turn as Rob Taylor launched a blistering twenty-five yard drive that we never seem to try. Matt Bath could only stand and watch as it zinged past, cracked the underside of the bar, bounced down and thankfully out without the linesman sticking his oar in and awarding them a goal.
Of the five new faces the little striker was having a stinker, Jon Miller looked out of position on the right but his long throw was a bonus, Jody Bevan put himself about in an enthusiastic yet unconvinving fashion whilst Jorge Ferro was the pick of the two defenders, especially coming foward.
Something Tim & Chris Smith will need to work on at training are the corner routines. City pushed up their big men but were almost caught out as Evesham made light work of clearing it and turned defence into attack. A weighted long, low pass across the area found their attacker and City can thank Bathy for his block that kept the scores goalless.
At half time Evesham lost Taylor, he of the thunderbolt shot and replaced him with Joel Skyers.
In the first period the referee had twice given Evesham goal kicks when they should've been City corners and wasn't exactly top of the popularity charts with the home fans. However his reputation nosedived when he failed to spot a defender palm the ball away from under the bar from a far post cross. He even gave a goal kick!
During a period of pressure another City corner fell nicely to Chris Thompson but the midfielder would've been disappointed with his effort as he leaned back and lashed a shot against the bar and over the T-End roof.
Then typically, the unelegant bruisers went in front. Former "flying postman" John Williams shot from an angle and a City defender stuck out a leg to block but the ball fell nicely for top scorer Richard Ball who beat Bath with ease.
Tim Harris' answer was to bring on Corbett (Hallelulah) with Jon Miller making way for the second game in succession. Within minutes City's leading marksman had cut in from the edge of the area and rifled in a shot which took a slight deflection to leave Dave Adey flapping like a leaf in the wind as the ball hit the back of the net.
Always one to vary his celebrations the popular City striker lapped up the applause with his new gaffer. I wonder if he'll dare to leave him on the bench down at Merthyr Tydfil? But silly old Luke went and got himself booked for preventing a free kick being taken quickly.
Harris made his third and final change when the ineffective Whittington was replaced by Daryl Addis.
Then came the moment which could have a serious impact on our survival hopes. Neil Mustoe and Adam Blake both went for a fifty / fifty ball but the Evesham man went to ground and caught the City skipper as they both made contact. We all heard a crack and that was the end of Muzzie's season with a broken leg. Blake was booked, the same punishment that Corbs got for his "crime".
The Evesham thug should've walked yet it was City who were left with ten men. How ironic that Mustoe should break his leg in front of David Busst, a player who received one of the most famous of all time.
With a couple of minutes remaining the referee had a chance to make himself eternally unpopular as Corbett went in for a ball with the keeper. It was always the Evesham stoppers ball but the way that he threw himself down could've easily earned the City man a second yellow card and left the Tigers with nine men when it should've been Evesham who were two players short.
Sometimes there's no justice in this game. |
 |
|
|
| Merthyr Tydfil 2-2 City : Saturday February 11th 2006 |
Merthyr
1: Lee Worgan
2: Steve Williams
3: Paul Keddle
(booked 39 mins)
4: Adrian Needs
(sub 72 mins)
5: Dale Griffiths
6: Colin Loss
7: Dane Williams
(goals 44 & 84 mins)
8: Craig Stiens
(sub 56 mins)
9: Jason Welsh
(sub 56 mins)
10: Garry Shepherd
11: Ryan Dorrian
Substitutes
12: Gethyn Jones
for Jason Welsh
14: Craig Moses
for Craig Stiens
15: Lee Titcombe
for Adrian Needs
|
|
|
|
City
1: Matt Bath
2: Jon Miller
(goal 30 mins)
3: Paul Stonehouse
4: Mark Preece
5: Jorge Ferro
(booked 57 mins)
6: Luke Corbett
(sub 59 mins)
7: Chris Thompson
8: Tom Webb
9: Jody Bevan
(booked 79 mins)
10: Mike Whittington
(goal 63 mins)
(sub 87 mins)
11: Dave Wilkinson
(booked 76 mins)
Substitutes
12: Adie Harris
for Mike Whitt'ton
14: Daryl Addis
for Luke Corbett
15: Lee Randall
16: Eddie Rimmer
17: Richard Mansell
|
There could've been some added bite to todays game with Tim Harris returning to the Principality for the first time since he quit as their manager just over a month ago. Thankfully though the home fans acknowledged what he'd done for them rather than berate him for his decison to leave.
Still managerless, the home side had been linked to Paul Gascoigne by the Non-League Paper yet the story was dismissed out of hand by Merthyr regulars. Quite how true this is will unfold in the next few weeks.
Harris had been busy in the transfer market again and had brought in left sided player Paul Stonehouse on loan from Forest Green Rovers. I'd seen him recently at Cinderford Town and the diminutive wideman impressed at the lower level but whether he has what it takes to make an impact in the Conference is another matter.
The game struggled to show any signs of life and the only incident of any real note came when City's foreigner Jorge Ferro theatrically won a free kick with a dive that any Cirencester player would've been proud of.
But the game was dragged into life when wing back Jon Miller gave City a somewhat unexpected lead as he skillfully volleyed in from the right hand corner of the penalty area. Lee Worgan, a keeper on loan from Championship side Cardiff City could only watch as the ball dipped under his crossbar to cue mass celebration from the Tigers.
Paul Keddle became the first name in the book as he petulantly chucked the ball away after being denied a throw.
Jorge Ferro had looked good against Evesham last week but was getting a little too cocky and his hesitance to clear would've cost City had Matt Bath not produced a fine save from Colin Loss' header after Ferro was caught in possession.
City were living on the edge and could've given away a penalty when Dave Wilkinson attempted a tackle on Garry Shepherd but the Merthyr captain opted to shoot rather than crumble under the challenge and Bath saved City again.
However with the Tigers a minute away from the sanctuary of half time Dane Williams struck an equaliser when his shot was deflected in as it rifled through a sea of legs.
With the second half hardly ten minutes old the home side made a couple of changes with Craig Stiens and Jason Welsh being replaced by Craig Moses and Lee Titcombe. The hard of hearing may've confused Titcombe with perennial substitute Kris Whitcombe. A few minutes later Daryl Addis came on for the Tigers replacing the ineffective Luke Corbett.
Jorge Ferro became the first City player booked for a tackle from behind before Stonehouse enhanced his display with a low cross from the left wing the deceived everyone in the penalty area except Michael Whittington who sidefooted home to give City the lead again.
Merthyr's short, fat & tanned Adrian Needs pulled up with an injury and had his place taken by Gethyn (with a "Y") Jones. Obviously not a religious man Wilko went in hard on Moses to earn a booking before Jody Bevan joined him for a different foul on a different player.
But hesistant defending ruined the day as the clock ticked down when with five minutes remaining Williams lashed in a twenty yard shot into the top corner after Moses and kept a hopeful ball in play and set up the thorn in City's side.
Adie Harris was thrown on up front in place of Whittington but it acheived nothing as City had to settle for a share of the spoils. Two points lost rather than one gained. |
|
|
|
| City 4-1 Grantham Town : Saturday February 18th 2006 |
City
1: Matt Bath
2: Jon Miller
(booked 33 mins)
3: Paul Stonehouse
(booked 82 mins)
(sub 86 mins)
4: Mark Preece
5: Lyndon Tompkins
(booked 70 mins)
6: Daryl Addis
(sub 27 mins)
7: Chris Thompson
8: Tom Webb
9: Jody Bevan
(goal 31 mins)
10: Mike Whittington
(goals 45 & 80 mins)
11: Dave Wilkinson
(goal 78 mins)
Substitutes
12: Adie Harris
for Daryl Addis
14: Eddie Rimmer
15: Jamie Reid
16: Lee Randall
for Paul Stonehouse
17: Jorge Ferro
|
|
|
|
Grantham
1: Mario Ziccardi
(booked 31 mins)
(sent off 39 mins)
2: Phil Watt
(sub 86 mins)
3: Richard Weale
4: Martin Matthews
5: Steve Julian
6: Grant Brown
7: Fabien Smith
8: Adam Sturgess
9: Chris Bacon
(sub 45 mins)
10: Jason Turner
(goal 23 mins)
11: Richard Challinor
(sub 45 mins)
Substitutes
12: Michael Sneddon
for Chris Bacon
14: Sean Popple
for Richard Challinor
15: Daniel Maddison
for Phil Watt
16: Adrian Speed
17: Lee Glover
|
With long time strugglers Cheshunt and Northwood finding some form the battle at the bottom of the league was now hotting up so todays victory against Grantham not only gave City three valuable points but would've also injected belief into Tim Harris' men that relegation is easily escapable.
Fit again Lyndon Tompkins was restored to the centre of defence and Jorge Ferro was dropped after his 'interesting' showing at Merthyr, in fact after the match the Iberian was released completely. Again Harris went with three up front by using Daryl Addis alongside Whittington and Bevan. What a luxury it is to have such a choice of strikers!
It was Addis who had City's first chance of the game when he rifled in a shot from outside the area that Grantham keeper Mario Ziccardi could only stand and watch Matt Bath style as it zipped an inch or so wide of his far post.
But the away side took the lead when the City keeper made a rare aerial error and dropped a cross at the feet of Jason Turner who had his first shot blocked on the line by Mark Preece but buried the rebound. The travelling fans went wild on the T-End and got excited enough to chant "Going down, Going down, Going down" only to be met with a retort of "So are we, so are we, so are we". Bless them, it's only every other week that they get to see their football close-up and not fifty yards from the pitch!
Harris' gameplan was thrown into turmoil thanks to a high challenge on Addis by Grantham Captain Grant Brown that went unpunished even though the City striker left the field with a gaping gash on his calf.
On the half hour City were back in the game when the referee spotted a foul on Tompkins at a free kick and awarded a penalty. Despite a short delay Jody Bevan made no mistake by sending Ziccardi the wrong way and the keeper was booked following the goal as he belted the ball into the corner out of frustration.
Improving right back Jon Miller was cautioned for City after a karate style foul on Richard Challinor but then Ziccardi was left to rue his petulance after the penalty as he raced out to clear a through ball but made contact with Michael Whittington instead and was shown his second yellow. Defender Martin Matthews took over the gloves as Ziccardi was waved off the pitch by the City fans!
The makeshift keeper had a good start to his spell in goal when he blocked a close range volley from Dave Wilkinson with his midriff but could do nothing when Whittington took a Tom Webb cross on the chest and blasted it into the roof of the net. It was the perfect tonic to for City.
Gingerbread gaffer Lee Glover made two changes for the start of the second half with Michael Sneddon and Sean Popple coming on for Chris Bacon and Challinor.
For far too long in the second period the opposition seemed to be in control as City struggled to work out where their extra man was and it seemed as though an equaliser was on the cards. Thankfully though the only action of note came when Lyndon was booked for tripping a Grantham forward in full flow.
But the match was put beyond the Lincolnshire side with two goals in two minutes when Paul Stonehouse put in a cross that caused confusion as it bounced between two defenders and Wilko was there to lash in City's third with his left foot.
Not long after the restart the ball fell to Adie Harris in the heart of midfield and Whittington did well to hold his run before he dashed onto a perfectly weighted pass from the City substitute. With a free run on the rookie goalkeeper the striker had time to choose whether to go left or go right so he opted for a sublime chip over him into the back of the net instead. Even better than the goal was the celebration as Whittington swapped a high five with the Gaffer!
There was still time for another booking, this time for Stonehouse who was cautioned after three Grantham players had pressured the referee into showing a card after the winger had kicked the ball away after a foul.
A great win against a side that we shouldn't really have lost to in Harris' first game in charge just over a month earlier. Bring on the Hitchin! |
|
|
|
| Hitchin Town 2-2 City : Saturday February 26th 2006 |
Hitchin Town
1: Richard Wilmot
(booked 29 mins)
2: Neil Pugh
3: Parys Okai
4: Stuart Hammonds
5: Liam Folds
6: David Hicks
7: Daniel French
(sub 86 mins)
8: Aaran Cavill
9: Stuart Lochhead
(sub 60 mins)
10: Thomas Hayes
(goals 34 & 76 mins)
11: Mark Ducket
(booked 43 mins)
Substitutes
12: James Ayres
14: Glen Lamacraft
15: Adam Parker
for Stuart Lochhead
16: Wayne Mills
for Daniel French
17: David Daniels
|
|
|
|
City
1: Matt Bath
2: Jon Miller
(goal 11 mins)
3: Paul Stonehouse
(booked 82 mins)
4: Mark Preece
5: Lyndon Tompkins
6: Chris Holland
7: Chris Thompson
8: Tom Webb
9: Jody Bevan
(sub 86 mins)
10: Mike Whittington
(goal 58 mins)
11: Dave Wilkinson
Substitutes
12: Adie Harris
14: Richard Mansell
15: Eddie Rimmer
16: Lee Randall
17: Luke Corbett
for Jody Bevan
|
Writing these summaries can sometimes be a chore but it's worth it so that we have a reference point for the game when the event is long forgotten. With that in mind I could easily cut and paste what I wrote for the Merthyr game two weeks ago because this match followed pretty much the same course as the one at the Heads of the Valleys.
But, keeping it real, this was always going to be a tough match considering that our hosts had travelled to Gloucestershire in midweek and absolutely thumped Cirencester on their own pitch (with walls around it) 7-0 in the Errea Cup. One bonus though was the absence of that games' four goal striker Josh Sozzo who was attending a wedding in Rome rather than terrorising the Tigers.
Loan signing Chris Holland was the only change from the team that murdered Grantham. He replaced the injured Daryl Addis as Tim Harris toned down his cavalier three up front style to go with five across the back.
One major advantage for City was the wind which blew in a southerly direction and got so strong at times that it threatened to blow the ramshackle stadium to the ground. Although, it was a wise choice by Chris Thompson to kick downhill with the wind at our backs as Jon Miller used it to full effect to fire in a free kick after Michael Whittington had been fouled by Liam Folds. The improving wing back found the net from all of 35 yards and is earning quite a reputation as a set piece specialist!
The home side could've equalised straight away with a quickly taken free kick that was met at the near post by Thomas Hayes but his header bounced the wrong way off of his fifty pence shaped head and flew wide of the post. The same could be said of the chance that fell to Dave Wilkinson as he sidefooted narrowly over the bar when City had a similar opportunity after Non-League Paper columnist Stuart Hammonds had handled a Paul Stonehouse cross.
During their midweek game at Ciren goalkeeper Richard Wilmot somehow escaped a red card after he fouled Lee Smith as he was heading for goal. Fair play to the guy, he must lead a charmed life because his challenge on Whittington this afternoon was akin to the one that earned West Germany goalkeeper Harald Schumacher his notoriety in the 1982 World Cup. The Hitchin man feigned injury to persuade the referee to only show a yellow card whilst the City man lay hurt alongside him.
City had had the chance to kill the game with the wind advantage so it was a sickener to see Lyndon Tompkins get the ball caught under his feet and Hayes nip in to calmly finish past a hapless Matt Bath.
Then to add injury to insult on the stroke of half time Hitchin's Mark Ducket was guilty of leading with the elbow as he contested a header with Thommo and the City man took the full force of the challenge. Despite stopping play instantly referee Michael Rowley again only produced a yellow card for what was clearly a sending off offence.
After a slow opening to the second half City got their noses in front again through Whittington. The slight but powerful striker got ahead of his man wide on the left from a Jody Bevan lay off, headed for the edge of the box breezing past two defenders en route and smashed a shot to the keepers right. Considering how poor he looked in front of goal in his first two games this is a player who has really impressed me since. Sign him on Tim!
The goal was very much against the run of play as Hitchin tried to take advantage of the dying wind and with a giant striker coming off the bench they were causing havoc among City's defence. It wasn't a surprise to see them peg level when again Lyndon erred for Hayes to calmly roll the ball into the net but it was still a bitter pill to swallow.
It could've been worse had Parys Okai's (what a silly f**king name) goal stood but the lino was City's friend as he raised a flag to rule out the strike.
After letting one or two questionable fouls go the ref finally took a City name and it was Paul Stonehouse who was cautioned for the second game on the bounce after he caught the full back with a late tackle.
Harris made his first change of the game but really left it too late to withdraw the ineffective Bevan to see the return of Luke Corbett from injury. It's a shame that Adie Harris didn't come on and bamboozle Hammonds so the hack could write about it in his column. Oh well, there's always the return fixture in April! |
|
|
|
| City 1-2 Bristol Rovers : Tuesday February 28th 2006 |
City
1: Matt Bath
2: Jon Miller
3: Adie Harris
4: Mark Preece
(goal 38 mins)
5: Lyndon Tompkins
6: Lee Randall
(sub 63 mins)
7: Chris Thompson
8: Tom Webb
9: Jody Bevan
10: Andy Varnham
11: Dave Wilkinson
(sub 78 mins)
Substitutes
12: Jamie Reid
14: Richard Mansell
for Lee Randall
15: Sam Avery
16: Luke Corbett
for Dave Wilkinson
17: Eddie Rimmer
|
|
|
|
Rovers
1: Steve Book
2: Ben Willshire
3: Tom Parrinello
4: Alex Kite
5: Matt Thorne
(sub 83 mins)
6: Paul Trollope
7: Chris Lines
8: Darren Mullings
9: Lewis Powell
(goals 45 & 54 mins)
(sub 78 mins)
10: Ali Gibb
11: Cai Jin Yuan
(sub 87 mins)
Substitutes
12: Tom Godsall
for Matt Thorne
14: James Palmer
15: Sean Rigg
for Lewis Powell
16: Matt Groves
for Cai Jin Yuan
17: Martin Horsell
|
City bowed out of their fourth cup competition at the first hurdle last night for the second season running after a youthful Bristol Rovers team knocked them out of the Gloucestershire Senior Cup.
The only three experienced players in the Pirates line-up were ex-scummer Steve Book between the sticks, midfielder Paul Trollope and attacker Ali Gibb. City fielded a weaker side than the one that had faced Hitchin on Saturday with Adie Harris and Lee Randall getting a start whilst striker Andy Varnham was surprisingly brought in from Shortwood to play up front even though Luke Corbett was on the bench. Sam Avery would've made his full City debut had Tim Harris used more of his substitutes but the Pete Chase Bursary beneficiary wasn't called into action.
After the game suffered a chanceless but competitive first half it was City who took the lead as it approached the break. A pinpoint corner from Randall was met by Rovers loanee Mark Preece and Book had no answer to his bullet header as it flew into the back of the net. However on the stroke of half time Randall went to ground in the penalty area and gave away the clearest spot kick that man has ever seen. Matt Bath guessed right and even got his hand to Lewis Powell's shot but the ball crossed the line for the leveller.
Ten minutes into the second half Powell was in the right place at the right time to benefit from a low cross by Chinese youngster Cai Jin Yuan as he slotted a shot under Bath. The Tigers followed up with a goal direct from a corner but the referee spotted a foul on Book and ruled out what would've been a good equaliser. As the night got colder and the pitch got harder I don't think anyone wanted to see extra time so it was Rovers who went through to face Mangotsfield United or Yate Town in the semi-final. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| Page last updated : 1st March 2006 |
|
|
| Tiger Roar is an unofficial, independant production. It has nothing to do with Gloucester City AFC 1980 Ltd, Gloucester City Ladies FC or the Gloucester City Supporters Trust. All comments expressed on here (unless stated) are those of the author and not those of the football club. |
| All content on this site is copyright of the site owner and must not be reproduced without prior permission (unless waived by the author). Please do not use or remotely link to any of the images or videos on this site. Images used without permission will be subject to a £50.00 charge. |
| I would like to express thanks to everyone who has helped make this website possible through donations, images, video clips and information. If you feel I have used your own copyrighted material and would like it removed, please do not hesitate to to discuss it's removal. |
| Above all, enjoy the website and please come back for more! |
 |
|
|
