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| Match Report : Hemel Hempstead Town v's City - February 16th 2008 |
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Recent Gloucester City games have taken on a common theme, namely that they’ve created bundles of chances yet only actually scored the odd goal or two.
City boss put a brave face on after the match that had seen his team waste several great chances and said after the game that although he was really annoyed and extremely disappointed he preferred to look at how far his team had come since Hemel Hempstead had played them off the park in the return fixture at the Lawn.
There was a surprise in the team selection as Alex Sykes was chosen ahead of striker Will Morford was dropped to the bench, although it was a much needed rest for the Hartpury College student.
Any fears that chances would be at a premium were allayed when Alex Allard strode past two defenders and really should’ve done better with his finish. Keeper Ian Brown blocked Allard’s shot and easily caught Lee Smith’s weak attempt on the rebound.
Jack Pitcher’s pace took him past the last man but he went too wide of the keeper to force a shot as the Tigers took the game to their hosts.
Midfielder Jamie Reid was cautioned for a late challenge before the Tigers took a deserved lead with a superb shot from the edge of the box by Sykes after Allard had rolled a corner into his path.
City should’ve been given a penalty as Pitcher dribbled his way into the box only to be halted by defender Nathan Bowden-Hasse crudely gouging at his eyes with his fingers, a shocking act that might be ok in rugby but isn’t on a football field.
Chris Herron ended the half with a caution after he’d fouled Tom Webb once too often before the Tudors made a change in the interval by swapping defenders Steve Jackman and Yiadom Yeboah.
It seemed like a different Hemel that took the field in the second half and they should’ve been level straight away when a free kick was flicked onto the far post where the unmarked Ollie Burgess lashed the ball over the bar from six yards.
City had to make do with chances on the break as the home team piled on the pressure, albeit without really threatening Kev Sawyer.
Jamie Reid shot over at the near post on one breakaway before another down the right wing engineered by Webb’s tenacity and pace saw Pitcher’s header well saved from Smith pinpoint cross.
Hemel got their goal on seventy minutes when a rare mistake from Ashley Thomas led to an attack where City couldn’t clear the ball and a lofted ball into the area caused problems for Sawyer who failed to claim and Yeboah was credited with forcing the loose ball into the net.
City played like a wounded Tiger now and tore into their hosts, but to no avail after they wasted chance after chance. The two worst culprits were Pitcher, who ran onto a half blocked Allard attempt, rounded the keeper and shot at the empty net only to see defender Mark Coulson somehow regain his ground and clear from under the crossbar.
Then at the end of injury time another City attack, now top heavy with substitutes Morford and Jody Bevan in the fray saw the ball passed to Smith with just the keeper to beat but his apologetic effort into the side netting summed up some of City’s finishing in the past few games. |
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City : Kev Sawyer, Jamie Reid, Alex Allard (Jody Bevan 87), Neil Mustoe, Ashley Thomas, Marc Richards, Matt Rose, Tom Webb, Jack Pitcher, Alex Sykes (Will Morford 78), Lee Smith.
Subs Not Used : Adie Harris, Matt Sysum, Jody Taylor.
Booked : Jamie Reid
Goal : Alex Sykes 23 |
Hemel Hempstead Town : Ian Brown, Simon Sweeney, Mark Coulson, Chris Herron, Nathan Bowden-Hasse, Steve Jackman (Yiadom Yeboah) , Ollie Burgess, Chris Dillon, Drew Roberts, Paul Edgeworth.
Subs Not Used : Harry Hunt, Matt Gearing, Enoch Boateng, Sam Styles
Booked : Chris Herron
Goal : Yiadom Yeboah 70 |
| Attendance : 206 |
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| Page last updated : 17th February 2008 |
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