Blakenall vs. CITY  

City went into this match full of confidence following their 5-1 demolition of Warwick in midweek. However self- appointed promotion outsiders Blakenall were likely to prove a very different prospect. City brought in Abbott for the unavailable Richard Moore, but were otherwise unchanged from Tuesday, leaving Baylo on the bench despite his two goals in the last match.

City got an early fright as a free kick sailed over but a little too close for comfort. That seemed to shake out any cobwebs and Rawlins saw a good run and clever footwork end with a long shot that deserved better than to curl wide. It was Rawlins again who went close minutes later, with a header from a deep Chennas cross. Griff also saw a shot whistle saw the post in the first exchanges.

However while City made chances Blakenall obviously fancied their chances against the City back four. Twice they caught Gannas in no-man's land as Dicks desperately tried to marshall Hunt and Abbott into providing some cover. Some relief and breathing space was provided though when Tucks crossed deep to find Danny Hunt unmarked to head in his first Gloucester goal.

Half-time seemed to disorientate City, and after looking increasingly disjointed a slip from Abbott gifted the ball to Coppin who ran at Gannas and rounded the keeper to equalise. City immediately responded by bringing on Baylo for the largely anonymous Cox, followed soon afterwards with the enforced departure of Kacey Johnstone.

The changes seemed to boost the side, with Bayliss in particular immediately hustling the Blakenall defence. After a few minutes of softening up which saw City go close through Chenoweth, the breakthrough came. Thorne pushed the ball through to Bayliss who wriggled between two defenders on the turn, leaving himself free to shoot low through the keeper for a well deserved goal.

Blakenall's difficulties at the back were then compouned when Pickson saw red for a late and clumsy challenge that felled Matt Rawlins on the left touchline. With a man advantage City settled to play some more attractive football with Tucker and Meadows swapping well on the right and Bayliss and Rawlins causing difficulties up front.

However City's achilles heel was again exposed when Blakenall forced a free-kcik on the wing and sent over a deep high ball towards the far post. Gannas came but missed by a clear bus length, leaving an open goal for Muir to nod in an equaliser. A spirited home comeback seemed complete when a stunned City defence saw a stunning Cooper drive crash off the bar and into the path of a gleeful Muir who crashed home a second.

With only minutes remaining City showed great determination and guts as they piled forward in search of a point, when only moments earlier they seemed to have the game sown up. After seeing Thorne and Chenoweth repelled down the middle it was Tucker who found a way through down the right flank. Short passes with Baylo saw him get to the by-line and send over a low cross which Will Steadman met at the far post to drill home with a sensational finish.