| Report by
NigelBlues. City win again but what a
struggle. If genuine class and automatic promotion
possibilities, we would/should have scored at least 3 but this is City and we
had to settle for our 2nd goal in 8 hours of league football. Appalling but
credit Jon Hallworth & defence for their 4th successive clean sheet. We now
have the best goals against record in the division, along with Plymouth.
Changes from Saturday as a 'fit' Jason Fowler was recalled for Wayne
O'Sullivan. Up front, John Williams got the nod from Chris Roberts to replace
injured Dai Thomas.
Tony Elliott returning to Ninian Park was made Scarborough captain for the
night and lead them out with his 5 year and 19 month old children. However
they were amazingly amongst the taller of the Scarborough entourage. Boro'
fielded one of the shortest teams I have ever seen. Their no 9 was a mascot
but still eclipsed by their number 4 who was surely no more than five feet.
His kit was the type that most people stick to their car windscreens.
Boro had two tall central defenders but that was it. They took to the field
in a green kit, obviously a cunning plan to disguise themselves as blades of
grass and sneak under the studs of Mitchell, Young, Ford and Delaney.
City started ok but still no cutting edge. One noticeable difference was
midfield, for once, more direct and running at goal taking on Scarborough
defenders at the Grange End and Scarborough's ... 28 fans. Sadly, every time
that Delaney, Fowler and co got to the edge of the area, they knocked the ball
too far and missed, snatched or shot weakly. Chances came - a Ford shot was
cleared off the line, Scott Young's header was beat away by the Axe Man and
Williams was close. Fowler had a great run and curling shot, always going wide
but a good effort.
A goal should have come on half-hour after City's best flowing 5 man move saw
a far post cross played back gently to Richard Carpenter. Needing composure
and place the ball on target, Jurgen powered his effort wickedly wide and
horribly high. It spent more time in space than John Glenn on the space
shuttle mission.
At the back, City were poor. They were hesitant, made continual errors
against a limited side who should be no trouble. Players attacked the same
ball, showed poor covering and marking and frequently argued amongst
themselves. Hallworth kept his customary cool and made a couple of decent
stops. He did however lose his head in the 1st half when a ball which hit
Mike Ford on the knee was collected by him but ruled a deliberate back pass!
Apart from this, Mr Lee Cable had a good match.
One highlight was Boro's no 4 trying to out jump Graham Mitchell - good job
they weren't taller or we would have had problems. Whoever he was (Jimmy
Krankie?), he had a good match and covered most of the pitch during the game.
City were playing better than at Torquay but way short of
standards set
previously this season. The half-time whistle sort City booed off by just
about every part of the ground. Sort it out Frankie.
Half-time (and relief!) City 0 Scarboro 0
Tony Elliott trotted towards the Canton Stand and had a great ovation. He did
several of his Axeman blows, was Ayatollahing better than City fans in a
Torquay rave club and applauded the whole stand. He was greeted by chants of
"Tony, Tony let one in, Tony let one in" and "1 John Hallworth, there's
only 1
John Hallworth" and laughed along with it.
The goal (hallejuah!) came on 55 minutes and was all due to the persistence of
man of the match Richard Carpenter. Absolute joke of the match sponsors to
give it to Delaney who had a few good runs so was eye catching but hit poor
crosses most of the night as he has done most of the season.
Carpenter won the ball on the touchline and played it to Chris Allen. Allen
lost it but it was immediately won back by Carepnter who then played in
Middleton. Taking a one - two and winning a 50/50 challenge in the process.
Carpenter strode forward towards the penalty area before dissecting the
Scarborough defence with a beautiful diagonal ball behind them to John
Williams. Willow moved in and somehow scooped the ball high into the air and
over Tony Elliott. It took an eternity to come down and looked to be clearing
the bar at one point but dropped into the net for a mixture of relief and
celebration.
Williams came to the Canton Stand acting very cool about it all and signalling
as if to say, "I'm the maaaaan" whilst Tony Elliott made the appropriate hand
signal when asked, "Tony, Tony what's the score?" followed by "Tony is a
Bluebird, Tony is a bluebird".
The remaining half-hour (plus 2 minutes injury time which somehow lasted 5
mins - maybe the ref added on the 3 minutes Barry Knight didn't gave City vs
Cambridge!) was played out with City having few anxious moments at the back
and doing little up front.
A couple of City players were very poor. Craig Middleton didn't take his
chance or look interested at times. He never went for tackles in the manner
that we know he can. This was eclipsed by Chris Allen who was quite simply
terrible again. He has ability but not sure why he's here as he's not trying.
He had good service from Fowler and Carpenter and looks the part in his
movement but didn't take on and beat his marker, get to the byline and/or pass
or cross the ball. Little wonder chants started of "We want Brazier back" and
boos rippled out towards him at times.
The final whistle was greeted by the crowd of 4,442 but it was hardly vintage
City again. However a win is a win and 3 points was exactly what we needed.
Report by Stewart Edge.
Unlike at Torquay, City actually looked up for the game and
started
extremely well, worrying the Scarborough defence a couple of times in the
first few minutes. Indeed, after 5 minutes John Williams received the ball
with his back to goal 20 yards out, in one move he turned and shot the ball
into the corner of the net only to his superb effort ruled out for offside,
which was harsh to say the least, as he was onside but other City players
within his close proximity were retreating from an offside position.
After 20 minutes of total domination, City still hadn't produced any clear
cut chances, and so, almost predictably, the City fans original feelings of
optimism turned to angst and not only did the volume of support decline but
there were signs of dissension stirring in the crowd. Three minutes before
the break, the fans feelings of incredulity in not being able to score
against weak opposition was heightened when the best move of the match took
place but did not end in a City goal, in fact a SUPERB opportunity was
wasted. Fowler picked up the ball in his own half, took it forward and then
swung a pass out to Chris Allen on the left wing, Allen moved purposefully
forward, looked up and hit a wonderful deep ball to the far post where John
Williams showed, a previously unseen, deft touch back into the path of the
advancing Richard Carpenter who, from 10 yards out, had the goal at his
mercy but crashed his shot over the bar. WHY DIDN'T YOU SIDE FOOT THE BALL
INTO THE NET RICHARD ??????
Half Time City 0 Boro 0
Half time came and went as per normal except for an announcement over the
tannoy of "Birthday wishes to Stewart Edge, a member of the 1927 club and
the mailing list". Anyone know who this could be ??????
The second half was again like banging your head against a brick wall, with
the exception of the goal it was all huff and puff and no final killer
instinct, unlike the 3 little pig mascots of Bristol City on Saturday when
they came up against the Wolf mascot of Wolves and decided to turn the
fairy story around by actually beating up the Wolf mascot, it was great
entertainment on TV news earlier today. The goal came about when Williams
received the ball on the edge of the box, scrappily beat the last defender
with the aid of a ricochet, but delicately finished by lobbing the oncoming
Tony Elliot.
The rest of the half was all disjointed and full of "if only's". City
seemed to sit back on their laurels and nearly paid for it when the ball
broke to left side of the City box and a spare Boro attacker hit a first
time shot, mercifully, badly and well wide of goal. City's only other clear
cut also fell to Williams who latched onto a through ball just outside the
box, he then took on his defender but shot straight at Elliot from the
corner of the 6 yard box. Elliot could only parry the ball back out to the
middle of the area, but there wasn't a City player within 10 yards.
Full Time City 1 Boro 0 |
