Saturday 17 February 2007

British Gas Business Southern League Premier
(match 28)

at Meadow Park, Gloucester

1-0

This wasn't by any means the best football City have played this season, but it was exactly the tough disciplined performance that the fans have been crying out for. The concentration and commitment levels didn't drop and the reward was a first home victory since man discovered fire. It was a long time coming, and it wasn't spectacular - but it was perhaps all the sweeter for it on a day that was all about the result.

City opened looking every bit as rocky as you might expect a side to look when our home defending has been so accident prone. Cliff-Brown escaped from Reid and his cross was fortunately hooked high over the T-End by Mike Booth. However we did well not to crumble and managed to get forward ourselves with a long range bobbling drive from Jamie Reid sending the Tivvy keeper scuttling across his goalmouth as it whistled just wide.

Sam Hutchings was making a big step up from Bridgwater Town to fill in between the sticks for Tiverton and he looked out of his depth as City grabbed what was to prove the crucial goal early on in the match. Griffin looks a real pest of a player and he hustled his way into possession, turning his defender and playing a lovely pass through to strike partner Jason Welsh. City's top scorer unleashed a shot from 25 yards that he hit well enough, but you have to expect most keepers to have got across to it. However the Tivvy new boy seemed to react late and be out of position, the ball flying past him. Welsh must like playing Tivvy, now having scored a third of his 12 goals against the Devon side, although this was also his first league goal at home.

The goal gave the side al lift and we tore into Tiverton in a good spell of complete domination. Syko doesn't need much invitation to shoot and sensing the keeper's fragility he saw two good fizzing long distance efforts saved but spilled by Hutchings, who was fortunate Griffin and Welsh couldn't quite reach the loose ball. City were trying to put pressure on the vulnerable Tiverton defence but the midfield area was highly competitive with neither side giving any quarter with some solid blood and thunder challenges going in. On occasions Tivvy threatened to cross the line with Cliff-Brown lucky the ref missed a flying elbow on Reid just moments after the ref caused consternation by booking Thommo after he'd himself been obstructed. Griff too survived an elbow that left him with a bloody mouth, but his seemed to have been caused by getting too close to Jason Welsh as he leapt with a defender.

City didn't have many chances, but another frail punch by the Tivvy keeper landed to Neil Mustoe who looked to have found the net with a clever goalward lob but he was thwarted as a defender managed to back pedal and head off the line. City were further frustrated at the end of the half when Sykes free kick caused complete chaos in the Tiverton goalmouth as they failed to clear their lines, but despite several City players lashing the ball towards the net the visitors managed to get enough bodies in the way to scramble away.

Second half the tension started to show as Tivvy exerted more pressure and at times you could almost see the City players thinking 'this is normally where we throw it away'. However this time we never really looked like crumbling, perhaps because Tiverton lacked their usual cutting edge, but also because Lyndon Tomkins was putting in his best game for us since returning from injury. If he and Hamblin can stay fit and get used to playing together they could yet develop in to a very solid paring at the back. Johnston really had little chance to show what he can do in goal and even when they did get through Tiverton didn't make the best of their chances with Mason slicing wide when he did manage to get a glimpse of goal.

As the game worse on we started to again pose a threat on the counter-attack, with Welsh and Sykes linking up well. New arrival Alex Allard was sent on to make his City debut and he impressed on the left as he picked up a Sykes pass and in turn delivered a well placed centre into the box where it was picked up by Wilkinson. His shot didn't really have enough power to threaten and was hacked away with ease. None the less City had done enough to take the vital points.

T-Ender Match Snaps

Sykes in pursuit of Tivvy's Mike Booth.	Tiverton find a line of City defenders ahead of them.
Hamblin does enough to make life tough for the Tivvy attack while Ray Johnston stands guard.

Team Selection:

The big surprise and lift for the side was the inclusion of skipper Neil Mustoe who passed a late fitness test having suffered back spasms at the end of last weekend's win at Mongsotsfield. As expected Scott Griffin made his home debut alongside Welsh in attack, while the loss of Michael Noakes saw Stonehouse at left-back with Sykes on the left of midfield.

The only fly in the ointment was the sudden disappearance of Danny Hodnett recalled again back to Worcester. So much for not being on loan - the poor player must feel like a yo-yo, but his loss is a real blow after impressive performances at Northwood and Mangotsfield.

TBBM Said:

 

Tactics Board:

A few odd goings on. Having looked settled and solid Tom Hamblin was withdrawn, suddenly forcing Thommo into the back four and potentially rocking the boat. It turned out not to fatally wound the cause, perhaps he had a knock, but otherwise hard to follow.

Anorak Corner:

As everyone knows, we've been rubbish at home this season. This was only our third home league win of the campaign and our first since beating Chippenham in October. Even more vitally it also ended a ten match losing sequence at home in all competitions, our worst ever run at Meadow Park beating the previous eight game record set between February and April 1993.

T-Ender Verdict

You can't labour the point too much, whatever the display this was all about finally getting that home victory. We seem to have developed a mental block on playing in front of our own fans, and you need results at home to keep the turnstiles clicking as well as to bolster the league table. Tiverton seem like a shadow of many of their recent teams and can ill afford to miss key players, but by the same measure our problems at home have been all about our own psychological issues and we've certainly contrived to lose to weaker opposition in recent weeks. At least we've hopefully put a few demons to rest now, and with the midweek visit of lowly Corby also have a great opportunity to complete our first 'double' of the season and record back-to-back home wins.

Highlights Elsewhere:

Everything looks rosier on the back of a second win, and we're now in the top half of the table. At the top Bath City continue their title winning form although they needed a solitary penalty to beat Banbury. Their tenants are improbably now their nearest challengers with a 3-1 win at Corby.

At the bottom some sides are starting to show signs of possible escape with others being sucked into the relegation battle. Cheshunt grabbed a credible point against King’s Lynn and that was enough to lift them above Merthyr who drop into the bottom four. The Martyrs have games in hand and are surely to good to stay in that position, but they must be nervous enough after a recent slump continued with a 2-0 defeat at Rugby Town.

Other Match Reports:

Gloucester Citizen match report

Further Reading:

BGB Southern League Premier Results & Website
BGB Southern League Table

Ref Watch:

5 - did eventually get cards out but missed too many fouls from a physical Tiverton team.

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