Post by Admin on Oct 6, 2024 8:58:02 GMT
Graham's Match Report -
Gloucester City 2 Wimborne Town 2 (Gloucester won 8-7 on penalties)
FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying - 5 Oct 2024 - winners £2450, losers £625
After Wimborne were walloped in Wales last weekend, a goal in each half by Will Fletcher and Cam Munn deservedly took this tie against the team second in the league table into a penalty shoot-out. Finally, with the shoot-out well into sudden-death, The Magpies were unable to match The Tigers, and, for the second successive season, went out of the competition at the first fixture.
Manager Tim Sills made two changes: Skipper Sam Jackson returned at left-back, and Joe Ryan started wide on the right.
Both players were involved when the visitors took a tenth minute lead. Joe Ryan's perfectly weighted pass played Cam Munn behind the home defence on the right, his low cross eventually fell to Sam Jackson on the left, and his returned cross was headed into the net at the far post by Will Fletcher.
The wounded Tigers then took control of the game, and turned their possession into goal attempts. On twelve minutes, Ross Flitney dived to save a shot, then bravely threw himself at the feet of Leadbitter who blasted over from five yards; the big stopper was then in the right place to gather Williams' toe poke; Harvey Wright intercepted the next attack before Flitney caught Dawson's shot from distance; the keeper then was in position to clutch Grubb's free-kick from the top of the "D"; and, just after the half-hour mark, tipped Burns' header over the bar. The equaliser, which had been threatening, came form the resulting corner on the left when Baidoo, the shortest man on the pitch, perfectly timed his run and jump to head home from five yards.
With their tails up, The Tigers sensed more. Wright cleared off the line; Sam Jackson read a two-dummies corner routine to clear; Wright thumped one attack away, before conceding a corner from the next. At the other end, The Magpies did fashion a couple of chances: Ryan made space to fire over the bar; then combined with Adam Biss for the full-back to cross for Fletcher to bravely head over. With Sam Roberts marshalling his defence, and the flying Flitney in fine form, Wimborne survived the seven additional minutes to reach the interval on level terms.
The second-half was almost a mirror-image of the first: Gloucester scored early, then Wimborne took control. The goal came on forty-nine minutes, but only after the visitors had started brightly. In the first minute Fletcher's ambitious volley from distance sailed over Thompson's bar; then Josh Carmichael, who had another storming game, powered through midfield to blast past the keeper from thirty-five yards only to see the ball go behind off the post. The hosts' first attack of the half yielded the goal. Inter-play on the edge of the box ended with Grubb finding space to the right of the penalty spot to shoot across Flitney into the far corner.
Now it was the turn of the visitors to exert pressure. Thompson flapped at Jackson's free-kick; then Fletcher headed Roberts' free-kick across the area for Wright's goal-bound header to be tipped over by the keeper. A triple-substitution on the hour mark intensified the pressure on Gloucester's goal. Ryan's cross was scrambled away; Wright burst into the box; and Matt Neale delivered a corner into the danger area. Jez Bedford was in twinkling form, and when Neale played him down the left flank on seventy-nine minutes, Ball literally took him out with a dreadful high off-the-ground body-check. Referee Bullock flourished his red card. Fortunately, Bedford was able to continue after prolonged treatment.
Three minutes later came the equaliser. Neale, who'd been putting delightful balls between and behind defenders, played the willing Harry Baker in. The forward reached the ball at the same time as the onrushing keeper; the ball squirted loose for Munn to rifle past scrambling defenders on the line from near the penalty spot. The injured Baker was carefully lifted from the pitch. Now it was Wimborne who sensed another. Their best chances came from Neale's corners: Jackson's stab was cleared off the line, and Wright's header sailed wide. After another seven minutes of additional-time, and to the relief of the hosts, the officials signalled a penalty shoot-out.
It was all-square at four-four after the regulation set of five penalties - Thompson saved Harry Morgan's effort, and Williams hit the post. A mention for Billy Walker who scored his pen with his first touch of the game. Biss, Jackson and Ryan kept pace with the home side before the unfortunate Wright blasted his effort, our ninth, over the bar.
Once we were over the disappointment of being knocked out, there were many positives to take from Tim's team's performance. Gloucester have won all four of their home league games, and if they won their game in hand on Merthyr would be top of our tree. The stats show that we matched them, and in the second-half looked the more likely to win the game in normal time. From Flitney to Fletcher there were good performances across the pitch. A special mention for Jacko who, on his return, showed how important he is to the team. A final thought: both teams suffered injuries on the 3G surface, it makes your reporter wonder whether it really is the hoped-for panacea at all levels.
Wimborne: Flitney, Biss, Roberts (Walker 90+6), Wright, Jackson, Carmichael (Neale 60), Morgan, Beale (Bedford 60), Ryan, Munn, Fletcher (Baker 60 (Cocklin 85))
Attendance: 427
Match stats:
Magpies/Tigers
Goal attempts on target 4/9
Goal attempts off target 9/4
Goal attempts blocked 2/2
Corners 5/4
Fouls conceded 7/8
Offside 2/2
Cards 4Y/1R
Gloucester City 2 Wimborne Town 2 (Gloucester won 8-7 on penalties)
FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying - 5 Oct 2024 - winners £2450, losers £625
After Wimborne were walloped in Wales last weekend, a goal in each half by Will Fletcher and Cam Munn deservedly took this tie against the team second in the league table into a penalty shoot-out. Finally, with the shoot-out well into sudden-death, The Magpies were unable to match The Tigers, and, for the second successive season, went out of the competition at the first fixture.
Manager Tim Sills made two changes: Skipper Sam Jackson returned at left-back, and Joe Ryan started wide on the right.
Both players were involved when the visitors took a tenth minute lead. Joe Ryan's perfectly weighted pass played Cam Munn behind the home defence on the right, his low cross eventually fell to Sam Jackson on the left, and his returned cross was headed into the net at the far post by Will Fletcher.
The wounded Tigers then took control of the game, and turned their possession into goal attempts. On twelve minutes, Ross Flitney dived to save a shot, then bravely threw himself at the feet of Leadbitter who blasted over from five yards; the big stopper was then in the right place to gather Williams' toe poke; Harvey Wright intercepted the next attack before Flitney caught Dawson's shot from distance; the keeper then was in position to clutch Grubb's free-kick from the top of the "D"; and, just after the half-hour mark, tipped Burns' header over the bar. The equaliser, which had been threatening, came form the resulting corner on the left when Baidoo, the shortest man on the pitch, perfectly timed his run and jump to head home from five yards.
With their tails up, The Tigers sensed more. Wright cleared off the line; Sam Jackson read a two-dummies corner routine to clear; Wright thumped one attack away, before conceding a corner from the next. At the other end, The Magpies did fashion a couple of chances: Ryan made space to fire over the bar; then combined with Adam Biss for the full-back to cross for Fletcher to bravely head over. With Sam Roberts marshalling his defence, and the flying Flitney in fine form, Wimborne survived the seven additional minutes to reach the interval on level terms.
The second-half was almost a mirror-image of the first: Gloucester scored early, then Wimborne took control. The goal came on forty-nine minutes, but only after the visitors had started brightly. In the first minute Fletcher's ambitious volley from distance sailed over Thompson's bar; then Josh Carmichael, who had another storming game, powered through midfield to blast past the keeper from thirty-five yards only to see the ball go behind off the post. The hosts' first attack of the half yielded the goal. Inter-play on the edge of the box ended with Grubb finding space to the right of the penalty spot to shoot across Flitney into the far corner.
Now it was the turn of the visitors to exert pressure. Thompson flapped at Jackson's free-kick; then Fletcher headed Roberts' free-kick across the area for Wright's goal-bound header to be tipped over by the keeper. A triple-substitution on the hour mark intensified the pressure on Gloucester's goal. Ryan's cross was scrambled away; Wright burst into the box; and Matt Neale delivered a corner into the danger area. Jez Bedford was in twinkling form, and when Neale played him down the left flank on seventy-nine minutes, Ball literally took him out with a dreadful high off-the-ground body-check. Referee Bullock flourished his red card. Fortunately, Bedford was able to continue after prolonged treatment.
Three minutes later came the equaliser. Neale, who'd been putting delightful balls between and behind defenders, played the willing Harry Baker in. The forward reached the ball at the same time as the onrushing keeper; the ball squirted loose for Munn to rifle past scrambling defenders on the line from near the penalty spot. The injured Baker was carefully lifted from the pitch. Now it was Wimborne who sensed another. Their best chances came from Neale's corners: Jackson's stab was cleared off the line, and Wright's header sailed wide. After another seven minutes of additional-time, and to the relief of the hosts, the officials signalled a penalty shoot-out.
It was all-square at four-four after the regulation set of five penalties - Thompson saved Harry Morgan's effort, and Williams hit the post. A mention for Billy Walker who scored his pen with his first touch of the game. Biss, Jackson and Ryan kept pace with the home side before the unfortunate Wright blasted his effort, our ninth, over the bar.
Once we were over the disappointment of being knocked out, there were many positives to take from Tim's team's performance. Gloucester have won all four of their home league games, and if they won their game in hand on Merthyr would be top of our tree. The stats show that we matched them, and in the second-half looked the more likely to win the game in normal time. From Flitney to Fletcher there were good performances across the pitch. A special mention for Jacko who, on his return, showed how important he is to the team. A final thought: both teams suffered injuries on the 3G surface, it makes your reporter wonder whether it really is the hoped-for panacea at all levels.
Wimborne: Flitney, Biss, Roberts (Walker 90+6), Wright, Jackson, Carmichael (Neale 60), Morgan, Beale (Bedford 60), Ryan, Munn, Fletcher (Baker 60 (Cocklin 85))
Attendance: 427
Match stats:
Magpies/Tigers
Goal attempts on target 4/9
Goal attempts off target 9/4
Goal attempts blocked 2/2
Corners 5/4
Fouls conceded 7/8
Offside 2/2
Cards 4Y/1R