City grabbed a
dramatic late winner to grab a much needed win against
lowly Rothwell on a sticky Meadow Park pitch. With two
games in as many days having taken their toll on the
squad several players were rested as Hughes tried a bit
of Chelsea style squad rotation. With Burns missing due
to suspension Fergie was restored in midfield, Gary
Thorne took the place of Holloway at right-back while
Mings dropped to the bench to make room for Wyatt to
start having impressed as sub at Salisbury the previous
day.
City took to the
field showing off clean new shirts, a shame for the
laundry people the pitch was so muddy, with especially
the T-End goalmouth looking like it had been transplanted
from the Glastonbury festival (thank God for the
Supporter's Club new pump - fit it soon!). The sticky six
yard box played a starring role in the early minutes as
Rothwell's Jowatt missed a gaping goal from all of 2
yards. A cross from City's left caught out Kemp and
Mokler, but the on rushing Jowatt somehow contrived to
leave the ball in the mud with a spectacular air shot
that everyone but Moks and the poor Rothwell left back
thought was pants wettingly funny.
City were however
having difficulty even getting to the point where they
could embarrass themselves in front of goal. Without Webb
or Burns there seemed few ideas from midfield, Fergie
putting in a couple of weak long distance efforts that
caused Hughes in the Rothwell goal little trouble.
Mainwaring saw City's best first half opportunity go
begging when he received a Tucker pass and having turned
his marker shot weakly too near Hughes.
A forgettable first
half sparked into life when Wagstaff threw himself over
Mokler to win a penalty duly put away by Marshall. You
can only presume the Ref took sympathy on Wagstaff's
ginger sufferings, because there was clear daylight
between him and Mokler. Having seen Rothwell's finishing
though, you could see why they wanted a penalty. City
tried to come back before the interval but the only
opportunity was wasted when Kemp took an in swinging corner off the head of home debutant Niblett.
City took the
initiative from the re-start with the increasingly
assured Wayne Thorne charging down the left and forcing
an early corner. However Rothwell charged straight back
at Gloucester with Mokler repeatedly needed to charge out
and beat forwards to dangerous through balls. The
unfortunate Jowatt had chance to make amends for his
earlier howler but having once rounded Mokler he found
himself off balance and skewed his shot wide. A few
moments later Dunlop's deep cross clipped the City
crossbar and the City defence seemed to be hanging on
desperately. Hughes then made a brave substitution with
Gary Thorne being replaced by Mings, leaving Hemmo and
Wyatt to charge down there respective wings.
The elder Thorne
had barely stormed into the dressing room when the
substitution was immediately justified. Wyatt's corner
was met by Kemp and with the Rothwell defence unable to
clear the danger Mings turned sharply to slam the ball in
from close range. With the Tiger's tails now up Rothwell
found themselves flung back on their heels. Wyatt and
Hemmings supplied a stream of crosses, but despite a lot
of hard work neither Mainwaring or Mings could quite get
on the end of them. Wayne Thorne was replaced by Holloway
in the last few minutes following a blow in the stomach,
and it was a typical Holloway charge against tired
Rothwell legs that proved decisive. His deep cross was
met by Hemmings whose neat header was tipped over by
Hughes in the Rothwell goal. As City penned the visitors
in their area it seemed they would have to settle for a
point. However a Wyatt corner was only half cleared and
Hemmings at last saw reward for his persistence. Another
fantastic curling low cross was met by Mings who stabbed
the ball into the net for a classic last gasp winner that
may prove crucial as City seek to keep our lingering
hopes of catching Nuneaton alive.
Mokler 
