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For the first time this season City recorded back-to-back league victories with a hard fought single goal win over Salisbury City at the Wilthsire clubs Raymond McEnhill Stadium. After making life hard for themselves in the 4-2 success over Merthyr Tydfil in their previous Dr Martens League outing, it was no different against the basement club who can consider themselves slightly unfortunate to come away from the game empty handed. The goal that settled the game came with just two minutes left on the clock but prior to that both sides had created enough chances to match last seasons 4-4 scoreline. In fact, before City struck it was the home side who had looked more likely to grab a late goal but as the clock reached 88 minutes Paul Milsom popped up unmarked in the Salisbury box to fire a shot beyond keeper Bittner, who, ironically, had been named man of the match moments earlier. City had gone into the game with a side showing just one change from the one that overcame Merthyr, injured Jamie Gosling making way for debutant Dave Watts. The opening ten minutes were a clear sign of things to come as chances came and went at both ends. First Hervin saved smartly from Witt's deflected shot and then Andy Williams dragged a shot wide following a poor clearance by Richardson. This mistake was soon forgotten by the White's player manager as he was at the heart of all his sides good work. And it was Richardson who came within inches of opening the scoring after 11 minutes. He controlled a clearance on his chest before firing a dipping shot that beat Hervin but not his bar. City then took a blow losing captain Colin Towler. He came off second best in a challenge with Bowers and, despite five minutes treatment, had to helped from the pitch with concussion to be replaced by James Hughes. However, this loss preceeded one of City's best spells in the game. Increasingly Williams was finding space down the left flank and it was from his 20th minute cross that Milsom headed a chance straight at Bittner. A centre from the other side, from Gary Powell, saw another Milsom header, although this time he failed to trouble Salisbury's eighth keeper of the season. Opportunities continued to fall to City's strikeforce, as around the half hour mark Adrian Foster saw one shot held by Bittner and a header drift wide of the post. A free-kick for the home side, after a foul from the otherwise excellent Kemp, allowed King a shot on goal but Hervin easily pushed it to safety. Milsom and Foster wasted another chance apiece before the interval, firing over from eight yards and curling a shot into the hands of Bittner, respectively. The action continued after the break with both teams finding a variety of ways to keep the game scoreless. A powerful 20 yard drive flew narrowly wide of Hervin's right hand post before Milsom used his strength to set up Foster, only for City's top scorer to slice his shot well wide of the goal. On 54 minutes the home side got the sort of luck reserved for sides struggling at the wrong end of the table as they hit the woodwork for a second time. Richardson got on the end of a Bartlett cross only to see his shot turned onto a post by Hervin. The 65th minute saw City's best opening, Foster picking out Milsom unmarked six yards out but his header cleared the bar. This seemed to take the wind out of City's sails and for the next twenty minutes it was all the hosts. Crook shot wide when it looked easier to score in the 70th minute and was also denied by Kemp timely block ten minutes from time. In between Richardson headed wide from Emms cross and these misses became even more expensive when Kemp's long ball forward picked out Milsom and the big striker sent the 150+ City fans home happy. |
