Gloucester City were comprehensively taken apart
by the title favourites at Meadow Park, but while the result will
surprise no-one the nature of the defeat will do little to convince
the fans that rotten home form and disastrous defending won't
yet see our side forced to scrap again for SLP survival. Bath
looked solid and well organised, but had to show little more than
that as the Tigers repeatedly played a significant part in allowing
the Somerset side to cruise to a comfortable 4-0 away win. While
Bath can look forward to tightening their grip on the Southern
League title City's players should take notice of the increasing
anger of their fans at the lack of courage being shown on the
pitch.
There were few signs of just how bad the pasting
would be as in the opening stages City actually defended fairly
well and with Lyndon Tomkins
returning to league action we looked a lot more stable. While
the Bath side were putting together all the attacking moves we
were working hard in midfield and the defence was managing to
hold a high line that gave us time to scamper back and get in
those vital tackles. Lyndon made a great block to stop McKeever
in full flow, and from the resulting corner Matt Bath made a fine
save to tip Chris Holland's thumping header over the bar. Even
Welsh, as a makeshift defender, looked the part as he got back
to make a great stretching tackle that robbed the shiney headed
Scott Partridge in full flow.
That defensive wall soon started to flake though,
and Bath's opening goal came after a series of calamitous errors
saw us fail to clear our lines. First Thommo and Mustoe left the
ball to each other and then couldn't get back as Bath seized on
the error. Welsh did well to close off the danger but then shinned
his clearance straight back to an opponent. as the next wave came
Noakes seemed to have covered off the pass but sliced his clearance
for a corner when he could have kept the damage to a throw in.
From the corner Holland again showed his strength in the air to
win the ball and from close range Darren Edwards provided a decisive
flick header to carry the ball into the net.
Briefly City showed some spirit and fought their
way back into the contest. Paul Stonehouse was the main outlet
with some room to get forward on the left flank and firing in
a couple of low grubber shots that at least gave the opposition
goalkeeper something to think about. After a brief lull in proceedings
Jimmy Cox almost found a way through,
wriggling clear and firing in a low cross shot that just eluded
the stretched legs of Webb and then Welsh. Those moments may have
given some hope, but there was a reminder of reality in the last
stages of the first half as Bath pounded around the edge of our
area causing all sorts of problems. Only a fantastic saving header
from a stretching Lyndon Tomkins flicked a Scott Partridge cross
beyond the waiting Mark McKeever. Matt Bath then took centre stage
with a fantastic double save, reaching first a low cross shot
and then getting to the loose ball to smother Lewis Hogg's follow-up.
After a difficult first half there were even faint
hopes that with City now targeting the T-End goal the players
might be inspired to a highly credible draw. Any hopes of a second
half revival were dashed as the home team seemed to have been
slipped a sedative in their half-time cuppa. The visitors took
full advantage with a quick brace that finished the match off.
Stonehouse was easily brushed aside by Hogg and his low cross
found the City defence missing in action with Scott Rogers able
to amble in unchallenged to stroke the ball past Matt Bath. Worse
was to come as McKeever scored on his return to Meadow Park with
the City players still reeling and more interested in the post-goal
inquest than the match re-starting in front of them. Hogg again
found room to cross and although Partridge's first effort smacked
against the post McKeever was first to reach the rebound with
our defence once again too slow to get back.
The match may have been all over but what disappointed
the home fans was that the team seemed to curl up and die. The
remainder of the game was an awful soulless affair with our players
sadly resigned to their fate and rather than showing defiance
just wanting it all to be over.We were second to everything in
midfield and Bath seemed to noticeably also take their foot off
the pedal seeing this as a job well done and a game already won.
The visiting fans seemed to share the general malaise, quiet and
disinterested. It makes you wonder how these clubs end up like
this - you can only imagine how utterly unbearable we'd be if
our side was marching to the title.
The only player really earning their keep now was
Matt Bath who was forced
into making a string of fine saves to avoid what could easily
have turned into an utter rout. He made a couple of good blocks
but the best was a full length dive to tip a full-blooded McKeever
25 yard drive around the post. That only set up the final goal
as City made a complete hash of the resulting corner. With our
defenders immobile and rooted to the spot a short corner ended
in a deep cross which found sub Phil Walsh with all the room in
the world to tap in at the far post.
At least it was very nearly over, and the final
whistle brought a mixture of booing and disgruntled sad mumbling
from the hacked off punters trooping off the T-End. You don't
necessarily mind losing, but this half-hearted surrender was never
going to be enough response to a local derby defeat. Never mind
getting even, we never even got angry.
J.Welsh
Bookings:
Dismissals:
none
T-Ender City MotM: Jody
Bevan deserves it more than most just for his programme interview.
