about the tigers   about tiger roar   appearances   fixtures & results   recent goals   table   adam mann   chris holland   danny andrew   darren edwards   darren mullings   jack harris   joe parker   josh hunt   keiron mace   kieran tracey   lewis hogg   matt coupe   matt liddiard   michael green   mike green   nathan phillips   neil mustoe   sam rawlings   sam turl   steve davies   tom hamblin   tom webb   will morford   david mehew   adie harris   ade tandy   lee randall   player archive   altrincham   bishops stortford   boston united   brackley town   bradford pk ave   chester   colwyn bay   corby town   droylsden   fc halifax town   g'borough trinity   guiseley   harrogate town   hinckley united   histon   oxford city   solihull moors   stalybridge celtic   vauxhall motors   worcester city   workington   tigerimages   1930's results   1960's results   1970's results   1980's results   1990's results   2000's results   2010's results   city art   city history   county cup   fa cup   fa trophy   farnboro stories   floods   georgian tour   horton road   league cup   league history   managers   opponents   overall records   panoramas   press cuttings   reserves   statistics   team photos   wtps   sport glos   citizen sport   facebook   tigers radio   official website   youth website   bsn website   bsn links   city wiki   tiger videos   city open forum   contact  Tiger Roar - An unofficial Gloucester City AFC Website City of Gloucester coat of arms Welcome to Tiger Roar, an unofficial website that aims to promote everything good about Blue Square North side Gloucester City. Online since the summer of 1998 the website has grown beyond belief and includes close to a thousand pages encompassing past and current player profiles, historical articles, videos clips, match reports, top quality photographs and in the City Open Forum, one of the most vibrant discussion boards around. Following the catastrophic floods of July 2007 the club were forced to abandon their stadium at Meadow Park and play for a season at Forest Green. Two seasons followed at Cirencester Town before the club moved again for the 2010/11 campaign. Admission costs are £12 for adults, £6 for concessions, and free for Children of 10 and under accompanied by an adult. Directions to the ground can be found here. The Tigers won promotion from the Southern League in May 2009 and under the guidance of ex-Bristol Rovers striker David "Boris" Mehew will look to consolidate their position this season. With a team made up of the best players from the Gloucester and Bristol area including defender Michael Green, midfielder powerhouses Lewis Hogg and Darren Mullings plus forwards Will Morford and Darren Edwards come and support your local team to glory in the Blue Square Bet North. Photo Galleries of recent Gloucester City matches Colwyn Bay v's City (28/04/13) City v's Corby Town (20/04/13) City v's Gainsborough Trinity (16/04/13) Stalybridge Celtic v's City (13/04/13) City v's Vauxhall Motors (06/04/13)    Solihull Moors v's City (01/04/13) City v's Histon (30/03/13) City v's Colwyn Bay (27/03/13) Chester v's City (16/03/13) City v's Droylsden (12/03/13) The latest news and events from Tiger Roar   Saturday April 28th 2013   Danny Andrew hit bar So, as the curtain comes down on Gloucester City's most successful season since 1999 one could be forgiven for feeling glad that it's all over after the latter part of the campaign which has seen just one goal scored, five straight defeats and tales of financial woe. Todays game wasn't a dead rubber though, Colwyn Bay needed to win to ensure that they couldn't be caught by either Histon or Corby, they won and it was our old friends from Northants who were dragged down with already relegated Hinckley and Droylsden. Bay scored against the run of play to win the game, a near post flick from a corner but for all the possession it was something City simply couldn't do. Danny Andrew rattled the crossbar with a free kick on what is probably his swansong and that was as close as the fancy dress clad City faithful got to celebrating for the last time this season. Somehow David Mehew's men managed to pick up four bookings for nothing offences yet the same punishment was handed out to the Bay forward who went in two footed on Adam Mann. Whilst some may argue that the referees that we see on Match of the Day are too harsh, in this league they are mainly gutless shits. I think I'll leave it on that! City : Green, Rawlings, Andrew, Liddiard (Hunt 61), Green, Webb, Turl (Tracey 71), Harris, Parker (Mehew 83), Davies, Mann. Sub n/u : Mustoe, Phillips Report - Photos The City fans follow the lino at Colwyn Bay Saturday April 20th 2013   Steve Davies booed Adam Mann 100 up We've read all about the injury woes that City currently have to endure but today's defeat to Corby Town makes it four in a row for David Mehew's patched up XI, a run which has prompted some of us to wish the season was over already. Today's team was made up of the fittest players left plus three from the development squad, including first team debuts for Sam Turl and Kieran Tracey. The team had a real home grown feel to it with Matt Liddiard, Tom Webb and Adam Mann, on his one hundredth appearance also starting. Ploughing a lone furrow up front on his own was Steve Davies, still seemingly under the weather so it was a surprise to hear him abused by some home fans but not one to hear that he had been nominated man of the match. In truth City struggled to impose themselves in an attacking vein on the Steelmen, mainly owing to the formation building from the back with the most experienced players, even if they were round pegs in square holes, the aim seemed to be to keep the scoreline at .."Corby Town 0". It almost worked. With just five minutes to go a superb shot from twenty yards by Nat Wedderburn homed in on the top corner of number one Mike Green's goal meaning that his full stretch dive was for nothing as the Corby players leaped on their hero. Almost straight from the restart City got a corner and Boris threw on his secret weapon. Himself. He didn't get a touch as Corby protected their lead for the four minutes or so of injury time. As vital as the win was for our friends from Northamptonshire, the gloss might've been taken off it with the news that Bishops Stortford and Colwyn Bay had won, with Histon getting a point against Boston meaning that they will still be fighting for their lives next week. City : Green, Rawlings, Andrew, Liddiard, Green, Webb, Tracey (Hunt 63), Turl (Mehew 87), Parker, Davies, Mann. Sub n/u : Mustoe Report - Photos - Interview Tom Webb takes evasive action as Corby's Nat Wedderburn unleashes the winning goal Tuesday April 16th 2013   Will Morford consolation goal Tom Webb gave away penalty Danny Andrew foot like a hammer For once not having to play for our survival in the Blue Square North has seen a poor run of form for City over these past few games. The injuries in the squad don't help and we're struggling to get over the finish line as badly as those marathon runners were in Boston the night before. Gainsborough have always been a tough nut to crack owing to their big spending owner, but he's packing it all in after spouting Keith Gardner type "I'll be here in twenty years" bollocks and having missed out on the playoffs it'll be interesting to see how they fare next year. Tonight produced their regulation win against City though as they put in a professional performance and used their experience to cajole the two female officials and the effeminate other into giving them decisions, although the key decision which saw Josh Wilde sent off for a second yellow card came after Boris had bent Sian Massey's ear after the Trinity man had pulled back Steve Davies. Sandwiched between the foul and the card was some proper finger wagging between the City boss and his Gainsborough counterpart Steve Housham. Housham it seems is a bad winner as he refused to shake hands at the final whistle. City started well and should've been a goal to the good after Darren Edwards had pressured keeper Jan Budtz into clearing a ball only as far as Will Morford, but as our luck goes the first time shot that Morf sent back in bounced up and hit the crossbar. That kind of luck was prevalent as Budtz got lucky at the start of the second half when an exocet of a shot from Danny Andrew stung his hands before deflecting over the bar for a corner kick. Trinity won the game with two goals towards the end of the first half. The opener was a near post header by Darryn Stamp, another big time ex-Conference player who'll have to take his boots elsewhere next year as he chases another hefty paycheck and a penalty from Simon Russell after Tom Webb was adjudged to have fouled Terry Hawkridge. There was a proper melee in the tunnel as the teams went off at half time with Boris having a go at defender Luke Waterfall who'd tried to make it look as though Davo had headbutted him. The video footage makes him look truly pathetic. With the defecit cut in half thanks to Will Morford's smart finish City gave it a good go but ultimately failed to peg back the Lincolnshire side, with Scott Wilson summing up our luck by getting the ball trapped under his feet when he had a great chance to score! As it stands we may well have a major say in who goes down with Corby Town visiting Whaddon Road on Saturday (k/o 3pm) followed by the end of season fancy dress trip to Colwyn Bay a week later. There are still a few places left on the supporters coach City : Green, Rawlings, Andrew, Liddiard, Holland, Webb, Hogg (Mace 65), Davies (Parker 63), Edwards (Wilson 63), Morford, Mann. Subs n/u : Hunt, Mustoe Report - Photos - Interview - Highlights The Gainsborough kitman laps up the adulation that the City fans are giving him Saturday April 13th 2013   Tom Webb skied shot Joe Parker glancing header Jack Harris season over? I remember Saturday December 9th 2000 very well. We drove up to Castle Vale in Birmingham full of expectation and drove home with our tails between our legs having been soundly beaten 0-3 by Paget Rangers. Not since that day have I travelled the full array of hope from a banker of a win actually turning out to be a right hammering. Until today. Stalybridge have been a pale imitation of the team we've known since we joined the Blue Square North and previous visits have seen us concede four goals on two occasions and the other, last year, had it not been for the brilliance of goalkeeper Lewis Carey we'd have let in more. So heading to Bower Fold with rumblings of discontent towards manager Jim Harvey from the fans and until last week the chance that they might get sucked into the relegation places it was fair to assume that this could be a case of fourth time lucky for the Tigers. OK, we all know the squad is as stretched as a masochist on a rack in Amsterdam but it was hard to watch as the home side took the lead against the run of play in the first half before more clinical finishing in the second half gave the scoreline a what might've been a flattering look but probably wasn't given how we'd failed to extend the Stalybridge back line. Things might've panned out a little differently had Tom Webb not skied his effort from Will Morford's cut back or Joe Parker actually headed home when he got in ahead of Celtic keeper Alex Cairns rather than glance the ball wide of the open net so when Morford again put one on a plate for a teammate so after struggling to trouble City it was a hammer blow when Mitchell Austin recieved a defence splitting pass and rounded number one Mike Green before firing home an exocet of a shot from the acutest of angles despite the presence of at least two City defenders. Steve Davies was called into action before the break with Jack Harris' season being ended by a hamstring injury as Boris was forced to put round pegs in square holes, but there was still hope that the defecit was just a blip and City would come good in the second half. It wasn't the case though as Jim Harvey's men did the simple things right, knocked the ball around and scored three decent goals. City lost possession on the edge of their own penalty area and two passes and a boom later from Tom Buckley's right foot saw the lead doubled. A wonderful low cross from right to left found Austin who had no trouble beating Green before giant striker Chris Hall saw his shot half killed by the City keeper but still creep over the line despite Sam Rawlings sliding in. To add injury to insult the right back hurt himself trying to clear and had to be subbed off, replaced by the already crocked Chris Holland who seemed to occupy a role in midfield. Even when we had a chance it was shuffed out brilliantly by Cairns in the Stalybridge goal as Darren Edwards got ahead of his marker to power a header on target. Typical of my luck having drawn Edwardinho in the golden goal along with Morf and Matt Liddiard. It was one of those days when it was a case of getting straight out of the ground at the final whistle, into the car and back down the M6. We were in Gloucester by Seven O'Clock! City : Green, Rawlings (Holland 83), Andrew, Liddiard, Harris (Davies 42), Webb, Hogg, Parker, Edwards, Morford, Mann. Subs n/u : Mehew, Green Report - Photos Celtic keeper Alex Cairns and Darren Edwards both reach for a loose ball in the six yard box Tuesday April 9th 2013   Joe Parker denied As the season draws to a close City are getting their re-arranged games out of the way and not for the first time have faced a late season trip to play at Harrogate Town. This time they were done for with a third minute goal from Paul Beesley but were denied when the home keeper made a great save from Joe Parker before, making an injury time cameo appearance City boss David Mehew was denied as his header was cleared off of the line! City : Green, Rawlings, Andrew, Liddiard, Harris, Webb, Hogg, Parker (Mehew 89), Edwards, Morford, Mann. Subs n/u : Mustoe, Holland Report Saturday April 6th 2013   Neil Mustoe played 90 minutes Will Morford scored Steve Davies brave effort Josh Hunt chance to win Vauxhall Motors, the best works team in the country! But one might be forgiven for wondering what they're actually for? Team Bath were despised yet VM aren't, although if they continue to try to kick seven bells out of opponents like they did with City today it won't be long. Here's an interesting fact too that many might not know. Whilst City have been appealling to all and sundry for financial help, underlining how expensive it is to run a non-league football club, Vauxhall Motors actually own the team coach that they arrived at Whaddon Road in. Own it! Anyhow, onto the game. A measure of how stretched the City squad was that Neil Mustoe started the game in midfield, a selection that was met with shock and disbelief among the supporters coming through the turnstiles. Tony Gaze turned around and went home! To be fair to Muzzie though, he played well. One might suggest it was his best performance in the middle since the FA Trophy win at Merthyr Tydfil in December 2002. It's also fair to say he'll probably spend the rest of the weekend walking around like he's in splints! For once Vauxhall aren't struggling and occupy a comfortable mid-table position with City and it's easy to see why; they're a good team. They gave our midfield the runaround for large periods of the first half and it City struggled to force any meaningful chances whilst the team from the Wirrall looked the more likely to score. Lewis Hogg picked up his first booking for a while as he pulled back an opponent, "You knew what you were doing" said the referee as he cautioned him. Muzzie also found his way into the book but there were a couple of Motors' players who could've been sent off for terrible challenges before Danny Fearnehough eventually was for a dreadful lunge on the City veteran at the start of the second half. Would it be harsh to suggest that the Vauxhall man misjudged the tackle because Muzzie was slower than your average midfielder?! Steve Davies, playing with a chest infection and against doctors advice came off and was replaced by youngster Josh Hunt who did quite well. If anyone wondered why Davo kept raising his arms, it was to help him breathe! It took until almost ten minutes before the end for City to make the breakthrough when Darren Edwards fed Will Morford inside the box and Morf nutmegged Vauxhall keeper Zac Jones. Both teams took turns to sky efforts that should've gone under the bar as it looked like City might hang on for a victory that never looked very likely. But it wasn't to be. The tiring Muzzie was in earshot as the linesman told the City bench how long was left. Moments later Mr Tannoy announced that Vern was man of the match and almost instantly Ashley Stott found room on the edge of the penalty area and drove the equaliser into the far corner. The tannoy didn't crack into action again with "On second thoughts..." though! A frustrating afternoon got more frustraing when Hogg hit the angle of post and crossbar with a wondeful half volley and then Hunt wanted too many touches when he had a great chance to tidy up a rebound and score. "Come on ref, lets all go home" appealled Boris to the ref when Jones was about to launch the last goal kick of the game. I think Boris would've settled for a draw at the start but did so begrudgingly at the end of the game. City : Green, Rawlings, Andrew, Liddiard, Harris, Mustoe, Hogg, Davies (Hunt 65), Edwards, Morford, Mann. Subs n/u : Mehew, Mace, Green Report - Photos - Interview - Highlights Youngster Josh Hunt tries his luck against Vauxhall Motors Wednesday April 3rd 2013   Will Morford claimed winner City made it two away wins in just over forty-eight hours thanks to a sterling 2-1 win at Bishops Stortford. Darren Edwards put the Tigers ahead after twenty minutes when he got on the end of a Will Morford flick from a free kick and volleyed home but City were pegged back on the stroke of half time when Mike Green was punished again from a dreadful Tom Webb back pass as his kick was charged down into the goal by Bill Lobjoit. However, the long midweek away trip ended well as Matt Liddiard headed goalwards in the second half and instead of hitting the target, hit Morford where the ball deflected in. The win means that the Tigers have surpassed their previous record points haul and now have fifty-three points with six games left. City : Green, Rawlings, Andrew, Liddiard, Holland, Webb, Hogg, Harris, Edwards, Morford (Davies 67), Mann. Subs n/u : Mustoe, Green, Mehew Report - Highlights Monday April 1st 2013   Chris Holland standing header Adam Mann header! City's annual trip to Damson Park usually ends up in a home win, so why do we go? Is it because it's one of the closest Blue Square North away games? Is it because of the fantastic burgers or is it because every now and againa things click into place and we come away with a win? Solihull Borough fans won't want to hear it it but Solihull Moors are really Moor Green FC playing at Solihull's "new" ground and given City's previous winless record against the Moors, then Boro (since 2000) it's hardly a surprise to go there with a lack of optimism! However, today was to be the day that we recorded just our second win there as a professional display earned City all three points in a game which they pressed their opponents and just about deserved their victory in the end. But it was only just as despite it being bitterly cold as we entered April the referee seemed to want to play on and on and the game finished at 4.59pm by which time City's comfortable 3-0 lead had been reduced by two goals. First Matt Coupe had given away a penalty (and hurt himself in the process) which was scored by Omar Bogle before Ryan Beswick nodded in from close range after a shot had hit the bar. City were good value for the win though having romped ahead with a penalty from Danny Andrew after Steve Davies made it look as though he'd been fouled, then Chris Holland doubled the lead in the second half with a standing header from Andrew's corner and Adam Mann scored a rare goal with his head after a wonderful cross to the far post by Will Morford. The win will put David Mehew's team in good spirit ahead of their midweek trip to Bishops Stortford, a game which looking up forthcoming ups and downs may well be a Conference South fixture between the two clubs next season. City : Green, Rawlings, Andrew, Hamblin (Coupe 52), Holland, Webb (Liddiard 90), Hogg (Edwards 79), Harris, Mann, Morford, Davies. Subs n/u : Mustoe, Mehew Report - Photos - Interview - Goals The reason why we all go to Solihull! Saturday March 30th 2013   Lewis Hogg saved City Mike Green not to blame Matt Liddiard fouled keeper? This was a game that might be remembered for goalkeeping mistakes that led to both goals. While Histon's Calum Kitscha might claim a foul as he flapped at Lewis Hogg's cross-cum-shot to concede a late equaliser poor old number one Mike Green won't thank Tom Hamblin for the backpass on the bobbly Whaddon Road pitch which saw him slice his clearance for Lewis Taffee to tap in a deserved goal for the Cambridge team. To be brutally honest David Mehew's team only just rated above "crap" today and will probably see the point as daylight robbery while Histon might regret the two dropped points they still move one point further away from relegation as Colwyn Bay lost at home to Chester. The first half was probably only memorable because for once the sun shone over Cheltenham, although by the time the full time whistle went it was bitterly cold and snowing. It's Easter for goodness sake! Chances for City included a right footed shot from Tom Webb that is probably still in orbit, thus leaving us to conclude that he should only shoot from distance with his left. Matt Liddiard will probably think he should've got his header on target too but all through the half Histon looked more likely to score, especially as they'd already hit the post. A change of formation at half time saw City switch to three at the back and although it gave them a stronger grip on the game inevitably the Stutes from Cambridge took the lead. After pulling off a superb save Greener will want to forget what happened next as Taffee put the visitors ahead. With a referee that seemed happy to let everything go Histon took advanatage and mad a frustrating afternoon for the City fans worse with their clever time wasting. I know we all do it when necessary but it's terrible to watch. As they upped the tempo City seemed to adopt a gung-ho approach towards attacking leaving them short on numbers at the back and on one occasion Ben Coker had a great chance to kill the game when the ball fell kindly for him at the far post but he screwed his right footed effort hopelessly wide. And then the payback for the Histon time wasting came as Hogg returned Kitscha's punched clearance back into the goal, with an assist for Matt Liddiard for his blatant foul on the goalkeeper. I have to say, through their rise into the higher echelons of non-league football they weren't known for making friends and some of their antics today underlined why. The point was pretty worthless to us but denying Histon two was priceless! City : Green, Rawlings (Hamblin 46), Andrew, Coupe, Holland, Webb, Hogg, Liddiard, Edwards (Harris 69), Davies, Morford. Subs n/u : Mustoe, Mehew Report - Photos - Interview - Goals Tom Hamblin and Matt Liddiard celebrate Lewis Hogg's equalising goal Wednesday March 27th 2013   Tom Webb déjà vu goal Matt Liddiard superb header Will Morford naughty! Tom Hamblin almost won it "Pay What You Want" said the promotional material and over six hundred people did on a freezing cold night in Cheltenham as City did well to earn a point against a rejuvanated Colwyn Bay team. Whilst cynics might suggest that even though it was effectively free football, one thing which I doubt has ever happened is Cheltenham people coming to watch City at Whaddon Road and the arctic temperatures will have kept people away from the game too so whilst a sub-four figure crowd and less than half that of the Orient game it was still four times the number of the people through the turnstiles for the Droylsden match and the money taken will go a long way to giving the club confidence in it's immediate future. And as has been said, on occasions where the crowd has been bigger than normal the players don't produce, but in contrast to the previous two homes games, which were effectively walkovers the north Walians put up a real fight and it was a bit of a ding-dong battle with late drama. The noise made by the City fans when Matt Liddiard's header hit the back of the net was something to behold and had Tom Hamblin's injury time effort done the same they'd have taken the roof off of Whaddon Road. If it had one. In his post match interview City boss David Mehew suggested that his players had been nervous in the opening throes as Frank Sinclair's team dominated and took a deserved lead. A defensive error let in Robert Hopley who was denied by a fine block by Mike Green as he came off of his line to narrow the angle but his effort was for nothing as Bay immediately won the ball back and from a similar angle Gareth Evans gracefully drove in a shot with his instep from an angle into the top right hand corner. The silence was deafening, other than a few Colwyn Bay fans cheering and whats more, when you're stood directly behind the players foot as I was it's even worse! Tom Webb bagged the equaliser for City with a goal which could easily be a carbon copy of the one he scored against Guiseley. From pretty much the same spot, at the same end with the same result. I even get to use the "like a deflating balloon" analogy again! If there was one disappointment from the game from City's perspective it would be that none of the four main attackers really had much effect on the game. Darren Edwards seemed to mess up a couple of one-two's, Davo couldn't stand up to the physical nature of the Colwyn Bay defence or maybe the role that he was expected to perform in City's direct attacking play, Manny had one shot which went harmlessly wide and when Will Morford came on as sub even though he looked better than any of the others his most memorable contribution was an act of simulation against Bay keeper Chris Sanna which he was lucky not to be booked for. It was the same referee who was in charge the night that Jack Harris broke his leg against Corby and he seems to be one of those who lets play flow and doesn't really give too many decisions. So maybe tonights opponents were unlucky that number one Mike Green might've given away a penalty when the ball fell from his grasp and also when the ball might've brushed Lewis Hogg's arm. They say that decisions even themselves out etc etc but we all know that they don't when you're in bother at the bottom. Sinclair might've thought that his luck had changed when he profited from a mistake from Green to bundle the ball home and give his team the lead with the clock ticking down but he hadn't reckoned on Liddiard who first brought an absolute World class save from Sanna before stooping to head home the equaliser from Danny Andrew's pinpoint corner. If you were one of those fans who came and enjoyed the game, we're at home again on Saturday against Histon (k/o 3pm) before two away trips to Solihull Moors on Easter Monday and Bishops Stortford on Wednesday complete a busy week for Boris and his team, at the end of which, if points have been picked up we can probably say that we're mathematically safe from the drop. City : Green, Green (Rawlings 46), Andrew, Coupe, Hamblin, Webb, Hogg, Harris, Edwards (Liddiard 76), Davies, Mann (Morford 60). Subs n/u : Holland, Mustoe Report - Photos - Interview - Highlights Matt Liddiard laps up the attention after his late equaliser against Colwyn Bay Saturday March 23rd 2013   Save Our City support the tigers City's game at Bishops Stortford today has been called off due to snow. Snow. In March! With a packed fixture list between now and the end of the season it looks likely that the game will be re-arranged for Wednesday April 3rd, keeps your eyes on the COF or the Official Site for confirmation. A meeting is being held at the Hallmark Hotel in Matson Lane on Monday night to discuss the current issues surrounding the club, it all kicks off at 7.30pm. And don't forget Wednesday when City host Colwyn Bay at Whaddon Road, you can pay what you want to get in. Essentially it's free but the club would like a donation so chuck a fiver in the bucket please. Saturday March 16th 2013   Tom Hamblin own goal gaffe Darren Edwards tested keeper Lewis Hogg volleyed over Danny Andrew set piece woe Darren Mullings very welcome return It's always difficult when you're en route to the home of the Champions elect, knowing that they'd only dropped thirteen points all season and trying to remain positive in the hope of getting something from the game. We did it at Histon back in 2005 and the feeling is great but given our current roll call a shock was never likely. Youngster Joe Parker had called in sick and Ethan Moore had been persuaded to sign for Worcester City instead of us so David Mehew's options were limited again. As a supporter there seemed as though we had little right to come here and win. Looking around the ground from the memorial shirts at the gates to the ground to the flags decorating the backs of the stands, this was a stadium that that seemed to be much more of a home than the soulless concrete ground that had been described to me by a Cheltenham Town fan. It's hard to knock Chester and their fans after they brought more than five hundred fans to Whaddon and I was particularly impressed with the welcome shown to their disabled and disadvantaged supporters. For the first time in almost a quarter of a decade watching the Tigers I saw a blind fan "watching" football. Close your eyes and try to follow a game. I couldn't. They have big crowds here and a big budget. Today's attendance of 2626 was almost twenty times what we had for our last game! The Chester team featured players largely unknown to me over the course of our four year stay in the Blue Square Bet North. The obvious exception being Lee Trundle, a striker who Bristol City paid £1M for and winger Dave Hankin who absolutely destroyed Lee Marshall when City were beaten 1-4 by Stalybridge Celtic back in December 2009. Thinking about it, they had Trundle on the bench and we had an injured Chris Holland, half fit Will Morford and Sam Rawlings as well as Neil Mustoe. But, for once, we had a full bench and nothing could've made a City fan more pleased to see the name Darren Mullings against the number fifteen shirt on the team sheet. What a fantastic boost for both player and club. City had a go at their hosts from the start but the only time home keeper got his hands dirty was when he dived to save a hopeful header from Darren Edwards. By then Chester had nudged themselves in front with an incredibly simple goal as Hankin looked to have hoofed the ball forward, even though it was probably a measured pass and striker Tony Gray got behind Tom Hamblin and eased past number one Mike Green's attempt at making himself big before calmly rolling the ball into the empty net from an angle. As one City fan suggested, it was sad to let in such a soft goal as a big crowd could easily get on the home teams backs if they didn't score early doors. The second goal came on the stroke of half time, or so it seemed according to the illuminated clock on the top of the west stand. A pinged in low cross from the left wing was met by Hamblin doing what looked like an Irish jig, appropriately in time for St Patrick's day tomorrow as he turned the ball into his own net. Set pieces can be a real leveller when you're playing against a team who are simply better than yours so it was a great disappointment to see Danny Andrew fail to beat the first defender on a good few occasions that he had the chance to. Even the free kick routines didn't really work when tried and left the City defence exposed to counter attacks. Had we scored from a corner in the second half I could've trotted out the old line of a corner taken in Wales and scored in England as the border actually disects the pitch at the Exacta Stadium. The club offices had to be built in the position they were for the club to be considered a member of the English FA and not their Welsh counterparts. As I made my way around the four optimal points of the pitch with my camera in hand I rested in front of the home terrace I heard "You'll get no photos at this end". Do people who say that think they're the first person to ever crack that joke? Even if he was partially right because we didn't have a shot on target after half time, even if we did arguably have the better of the play. Although Lewis Hogg did send a volley just over the crossbar. Trundle came off the bench and looked a class above and almost scored with a superb angled chip over Green but was denied when the ball hit the far post. For City the high point of the game was the appearance of Mullings for Jack Harris and even though he will have got soaked as it absolutely lashed down over Chester he'll have been delighted to have played his first football for six months. City : Green, Green, Andrew, Coupe, Hamblin (Rawlings 51), Webb, Hogg, Harris (Mullings 72), Edwards, Liddiard, Mann (Morford 63). Subs n/u : Mustoe, Holland Report - Photos - Panorama Chester keeper John Danby saves a header from Darren Edwards Tuesday March 12th 2013   Steve Davies opening goal Chris Holland did he score? Darren Edwards too cool Matt Liddiard first City goal So, City's last two BSBN games have yielded eight goals, scored by seven different players a feat as remarkable as the fact that that is as many goals as they managed since the big freeze yet somehow there is still a feeling of emptiness given the sheer number of chances spurned in those two games. Tonight we can count "misses" from Steve Davies as early as the second minute, then Darren Edwards who put the rebound wide, Lewis Hogg passed a shot straight at Droylsden goalkeeper Dale Latham and Tom Hamblin hit the bar with a header. In the second half Davies and Edwards again failed to score from the same attack, the former hit the post from a narrow angle and his strike partner failed to beat the keeper with the rebound and youngster Joe Parker was denied by a great save, although he can hardly be blamed for that. And I almost forgot the superb angled effort from Adam Mann that his the angle of post and crossbar. In stark contrast to the chance that he missed Davo's goal belied any thought that he might be low on confidence as he turned on the pace, cut across from the left wing and did a little shimmy that left a defender on his ass before burying a shot into the top corner with the instep of his right boot. The sight of a joyous Steve Davies celebrating a goal is one to behold and something he really should let us see more often. Conversely when Chris Holland scored the second on the stroke of half time the look on his face was more one of constipation than anything else! His former Bath City teammate Lewis Hogg skillfully skipped past a defender on the left hand side before whipping in a delicious cross which Dutch nodded home despite the presence of a Droylsden defender, although the fact that Latham hardly moved and that Chris had a muted celebration might indicate that it was actually an own goal. We'll never know and don't care so for the record it belongs to the City man. Tigers physio Charlotte Wigmore needed to be fit because after treating Davies who'd either been freight-trained by the keeper or hit the post or hoardings she had to run to halfway where Holland had a more serious injury and had to be replaced by Liddiard with Jack Harris comfortably slotting into the heart of defence. The third, was from The Buisness, so as ever there was no celebration which is a bit too cool for my liking. Edwardinho might've only tapped in Tom Webb's low, hard centre but a goals a goal and thats what we're all here to see. Again, another goalscorer, another reaction and there can't have been many people not pleased to see the net ripple when Liddiard climbed high at the far post to nod Danny Andrew's perfect far post corner in. What was encouraging to see was how senior players like Hogg and Edwards warmly congratulated the young City midfielder. There's a lot of potential in Lidds and he'll do well to listen to those two. There was even enough time for Neil Mustoe to make another cameo, this time for Hogg. Tony Gaze's lawyers have instructed me not to mention his reaction to the substitution in this TR update. Droylsden keeper Latham was that impressive that even though City scored four times he was named man of the match by the sponsor and given a bottle of whiskey, although as he posed for his post match photo he definately had one of those WTF kind of looks on his face! Thats the good part of the game covered, now for the bad bit. The piss poor crowd of 142. Less than half of the people who enjoyed Saturdays win against Hinckley enjoyed it enough to come back tonight. With the negative press surrounding this football club at this time it would be very easy for it to just fold. Who'd really care? Ironic really that David Mehew's men sit comfortably in ninth place in the second tier of non-league football with virtually no chance of being relegated (for on the field affairs anyhow) yet so few people can be arsed to come to watch. Gloucester people are a disgrace. City : Green, Green, Andrew, Hamblin, Holland (Liddiard 53), Webb, Hogg (Mustoe 87), Harris, Edwards, Davies (Parker 78), Mann. Sub n/u : Mehew Report - Photos - Boris Interview - Joe Parker Interview - Highlights Steve Davies lobs the keeper to score but the linesmans flag ruled the goal out Saturday March 9th 2013   Sam Rawlings diving header Adam Mann broke deadlock Steve Davies glancing header Darren Edwards "The Buisness" David Mehew signed forms Lewis Hogg man of the match In a game which you could've bet your house on going by the horrendous record of financially hamstrung opponents Hinckley United the Tigers finally got the result that their domination demanded with a 4-1 win. That said it looked as though it might've been as frustrating as the game where we destroyed Redditch 1-0 at the Valley Stadium almost two years ago to the day after Hinckley's Jack Lane had equalised with a quite audacious half volley after a superb and brave diving header from Sam Rawlings had given City the lead. Of course this should've been the stage for Cheltenham Saracens youngster Ethan Moore who'd been the subject of an approach from City last week but after some stupid comments in the local press from his manager Gerry Oldham he was conspicous by his absence. So, instead of signing a young striker this week club secretary Shaun Wetson signed an old(er) one as City boss David Mehew was named on the bench alongside fellow veteran Neil Mustoe. Only Adie Harris' name was missing from the teamsheet! Hinckley had been under a transfer embargo for much of the season and having seemingly accepted relegation some time ago todays set of results, with Corby beating Stalybridge Celtic confirmed their downfall. From the start there was only ever going to be one winner with City going close on a couple of occasions from set pieces; Steve Davies shot inches wide of the far post on one and Chris Holland had a header cleared off of the line on another. Midfielder Matt Liddiard could count himself lucky not to have had a broken ankle after a late challenge by Hinckley's goalscorer Lane but fortunately the City youngster escaped injury. It took fourteen minutes for the Tigers to score and the goal came from something of an unlikely source. Adam Mann got into the left hand corner and sent in a perfectly placed cross away from goal where Sam Rawlings got in and put himself bravely between the defender and the goal to head home. It was one of those goals where the scorer had to stretch every sinue to connect with the ball and if the defender tried to get the first touch it would've ended up in his own net. On it's own merit it was a great goal but better was to come, albeit at the wrong end as Mike Green was beaten by a truly stunning strike from Lane. Almost forty yards from goal he took a touch and lashed a shot up and over Green to not only stun the crowd but to earn applause. How often do home fans clap and away goal? Almost immediately Holland had a goalbound header well saved by Hinckley keeper Martin Conway as it seemed that City's luck would be out and anyone who did indeed bet their house on the result might be starting to sweat! Having been feeling the effects of a calf injury in the run up to the interval Rawlings was replaced by the half-fit Darren Edwards in what may have been a blessing in disguise because the front pair of Mann and Davies weren't really stretching their markers whereas Edwardinho would certainly put a cat among the pigeons. The Tigers started the second half on the front foot with Edwards bringing the best from the Hinckley keeper with a low header before Mann, still searching for that illusive first goal of the season shot at Conway with City's top scorer unmarked at the far post. Again Mann was denied when he headed Danny Andrew's corner right into the keeper's hand and that was followed by Davies somehow managing to only head the ball against the upright from a yard out and cruelly see the rebound fly across the length of the goalline before being hacked to safety by Theo Brown. Even number two Mike Green had a go, shooting from a narrow angle but failing to squeeze his shot between Conway and the post. That was followed by Davies gallopping into the area from an angle but taking a poor touch when he should've shot and Tom Hamblin glancing a header off of the eyebrows and wide of the far post. The City fans needed something to raise their spirits and they did get a good laugh when it turned out that Hinckley substitute didn't like being called "Sideshow Bob". Click here to see his reaction! Boris gave his team a more attacking edge by replacing Matt Liddiard with fellow teenager Joe Parker and that moved seemed to work as the goal that we needed finally came when Mann blasted home from close range after Davies had miscontrolled the ball. It fell nicely for Manny to score with his left foot and finally net his first of the season, and just his fourth goal in ninety games, a statistic that will no doubt concern a player of his talent. If Davies missed out there then he didn't a couple of minutes later when he met Andrew's corner at the near post and diverted the ball inside the far one. There is some debate whether Parker got a touch and should claim the goal but it would be unfair to take it away from Davo and I'm sure Joe will agree that he'd like his first senior goal for Gloucester City to be better than a disputed minute flick on someone elses goalbound effort from a foot out against the league's whipping boys! City seemed to take their foot off of the gas as Hinckley sparked into life but the doomed Brummies failed to trouble the City goal. In a similar situation to last week at Workington Davo was feeling the effects of a heavy tackle and limped off to be replaced by Neil Mustoe again. This time there were no howls of derision so one could only assume that Tony Gaze was in the toilet at that precise moment! As the catalyst for the second half goals Edwardinho deserved a goal and got it from the penalty spot after he'd been sent tumbling by Declan Towers. If footballing fate decides that City and Hinckley aren't going to cross swords again then the overall record is pretty even P10 W4 D2 L4 f18 a18! City : Green, Green, Andrew, Hamblin, Holland, Webb, Hogg, Rawlings (Edwards 46), Davies (Mustoe 82), Liddiard (Parker 70), Mann. Sub n/u : Mehew Report - Photos - Boris Interview - Rawlings Interview - Goals Sam Rawlings dives in to open the scoring against Hinckley Archived Tiger Roar news streams can be found at here   Tweets by @tigerroarcouk Page last updated : 1st May 2013 Tiger Roar is an unofficial, independant production. It has nothing to do with Gloucester City AFC 1980 Ltd 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. 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