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Saturday 7 September 2002 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm
Dr Martens Premier Division
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| half-time: 1-1 |
result: D1-1 |
attendance: 734 |
| team: |
Bryant, Drysdale (Horgan 53), Trought, Kemp (c), Minturn, Rollo (Wilmot 65), Bennett, Harvey,
Foster (Cleverley 71), Eaton, Williams. subs not used: Hervin, Sam Allison. |
| man of the match: |
Frankie Bennett |
| scorers: |
Drysdale (pen 19) |
| bookings: |
Horgan (64) |
| officials: |
K Milford (Yate), T Bray (Stroud), M Halford (Bristol) |
| league position: 11th |
form: DWWLLD |
next match: Halesowen (H) |
Whilst I'm all for tradition - Yeovil's traditional failure to justify being one of the Conference title favourites is always
entertaining - but City's customary inability to beat Cambridge City at Twerton Park is now beginning to wear a bit thin. For
the fifth time in the six visits the Lilywhites have made to Bath since City found themselves back in the Southern League
they came to get a single point and were successful in that limited aim. In truth but for a debatable penalty awared the
visitors could have won the game but City were still left fustrated by their incapability to break down the massed ranks of
blue shirts, particularly in a poor second half performance.
It had looked so different early on as City could have scored twice in the opening minutes. The game was less than a minute old when
Jason Eaton, back in the side after his calf injury at the expense of Dan Cleverley, almost embarrassed Wooding with his
pace (!) only for the defender to recover with a excellent tackle. Adrian Foster then found the room to test Davies
from 20 yards, but the keeper was up to the challenge. This beginning was misleading as Cambridge came back strongly. Clements
strong run saw him lay the ball off to Wilkin and he was only denied by a smart save from Mark Bryant. However, in the
10th minute there was no such escape. Wooding lifted a free-kick into the City box where an unchallenged Wilkin rose to head
firmly past Bryant. The Romans only found themselves trailing for nine minutes though, as they were awarded their fifth penalty
in just seven games this season. Drysdale's free-kick appeared to have been overhit but the referee viewed that Wooding
had blocked Andy Williams run and pointed to the spot. After the double penalty miss at Tiverton all City fans would have
been holding their breath as Drysdale stepped up. And the relief was audible when his effort found the net via the inside of
the right hand post. City now upped the pace and with the exception of a couple of lapses at the back controlled the game
until the interval. Twice Cambridge keeper Davies came to his sides rescue with stunning reaction saves. On 27 minutes
he tipped Mike Trought's point-blank header over the bar and then in first half stoppage time he somehow turned Foster's
volley from six yards out to safety after Iain Harvey's mis-hit shot had wrong footed the visitors rearguard. Inbetween
Andy Minturn, making his first starting apperance for City, had almost gifted Cambridge a second goal. His back pass never
looked like reaching Bryant and Clements was clean through on goal. It appeared the midfielder was so surprised at this gift
he allowed the exposed keeper to easily take the ball off him.
A couple of early chances in the second half seemed to imply that City were continuing were they left off before the break. Foster seeing his shot
comfortably gathered by Davies and only a last ditch block preventing Eaton converting Foster's low cross. However, this
hope soon began to fade as City's main threat, Frankie Bennett, saw less and less of the ball. Even a change of flanks with
Williams made little difference. Both sides seemed incapable of retaining possession although in a rare moment of quality
football after 68 minutes substitute Gary Horgan should have put City ahead. He exchanged passes with Eaton before lifting the
ball over the outrushing Davies only to clear the bar by yard. Horgan also broke the Cambridge offside trap five minutes
later but his cross was headed over by Eaton - although a linesmans flag would have ruled out a better aimed header. City
threw on Cleverley and Wilmot to try to breath some life into their efforts. The latter did see one shot charged down by
the impressive Vowden and even though they earned a number of corners in the closing minutes City couldn't find the vital
second goal. And in stoppage time they almost threw the game away completely. Minturn and Bryant appeared to have made a
complete mess of a long ball forward only for the referee to adjudge that Gutzmore had pushed the defender before rolling
the ball into the empty net.
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