Saturday 10 August 2002 - Cossham Street - kick off 3.00pm
Friendly
half-time: 1-0 result: L1-2 attendance: n/a

team: Bryant, Bennett, Trought (c) (Kemp 65), Rollo, Honor, Minturn (Thorne 45), Gosling (Horgan 60), Harvey (Wilmot 60), Eaton (Cleverley 68), Foster (Birkby 65), Williams.
man of the match: Chris Honor
scorers: Eaton (6)
bookings: none
officials: S Dunn, A Newell, B Richards

league position: n/a form: WWWWdL next match: Ilkeston (A)

City looked the more lively in the opening stages, and deservedly took the lead after 6 minutes. Frankie Bennett shrugged off the attentions of a defender and drilled in a low cross out of the keeper's reach. Eaton was first to react and he did well to steer the ball home from about a yard out. Only 4 minutes later, Jamie Gosling recieved the ball after good work by Foster and Eaton and hit a low drive heading into the bottom corner, but the ball hit the outside of the post with keeper Clarke beaten. Chances in the first half were few and far between. Mangotsfield could only create half chances, but were outraged after Mike Trought looked to have handled the ball just inside the penalty box. No penalty. Mangotsfield's coach Shaun Penny who was jumping around in the dugout reacted badly to this, and recieved a warning from the referee. Mangotsfield started the 2nd half brightly, and nearly equalised after Dave Elsey's looping header looked to have beaten Bryant, but the ball instead ended up on the roof of the net instead of the back of it. After 66 minutes, Mangotsfield equalised. Adam Sims waited for the ball to bounce on the edge of the penalty area, and he struck the ball on the half volley past Bryant, who perhaps should have got nearer to it as the shot wasn't too powerful. City tried to regain their lead just two minutes later, when Adrian Foster's cross towards the penalty box, was headed wide by the unchallenged Ellis Wilmot. Instead it was Mangotsfield who took the lead. After 71 minutes, the unmarked Darren Edwards managed to somehow flick the ball home from six yards out past a wrong-footed Bryant. He seemed to just back heel it and the ball trickled over the line. 12 minutes from the end, Dean Birkby showed what he is capable of. With his back to goal, he controlled the ball and turned just inside the penalty area. He tried to lob Clarke who managed to just palm the ball over for a corner. After a promising 1st half, City couldn't build on it for the 2nd. It's a shame that City's good pre-season couldn't finish with a win.

(Thanks to Mark Stillman for providing the match report)