Having decided after the Stockport game that I was to watch no more away games this season, the arrival of Gateshead at Twerton Park signalled the final game for me of a season that has, at times been pretty depressing.
The day also corresponded with Palmers birthday, so he managed to get someone else to do the filming for him and was joining us on the terraces. We had a few at the White Horse and made our way to the ground. Gateshead had brought a few fans, and there were some interesting costumes on display! Scott Murray has recently announced his intention to retire at the end of this season, so he was handed a final start at Twerton.
Murray has sometimes been a bit whiney on twitter, but he always plays with a smile on his face and seems to genuinely enjoy playing, and has been a consistently good performer for City in the last two seasons.
Rather typically City saved one of their best performances till the last home game, when it was all a bit too late. But this is not a criticism, as it was nice to see, and I think everyone had a bit of a boost from the game. City took the lead within 5 minutes, when Murray picked up the ball, ran at the fullback and crossed, Alex Russell cleverly flicked the ball back into the middle of the box, it then broke to Adam Connolly who hammered the ball home.
The early goal clearly gave City a confidence boost as we attacked quickly again, and Watkins was felled in the box and Steve Bratt (the awful wanker who ruined the Alfreton game) gave a penalty. Marc Canham stepped up and tucked the penalty away. 2-0 within 8 minutes, this was unexpected but gave us all a chance to exercise our vocal ranges and enjoy singing and feeling good.
The feeling got even better when on 13 minutes, when Murray danced past the full back before teeing up Andy Gallinagh who scored with a neat finish. 3-0 within 13 minutes! If only we could have played like this all season! City had another chance that Sean Canham should have scored, but the half time whistle blew with the score still at 3-0.
Very early in the second half Murray floated over a perfect cross which Sean Canham headed home. 4-0, and the pisstaking songs were in full use 4-0 to the part-timers etc etc., It was very pleasing to see the crowd enjoying themselves after a season of seeing people depressed.
This being City though, we couldn't see it out at 4-0, and Gateshead did manage to get two back, but the stripes still won, and the victory moved us off of the bottom of the table for the first time since August.
While this season has been a slog in places, I have already sent off my season ticket renewal, and know that within a couple of weeks I will be pining for Twerton Park and my football fix. August brings a new season and the chance for a more successful season. UTC!
Sunday 22 April 2012
Sunday 15 April 2012
It reminds me of Cherynobl
With City playing away at Darlington, and having promised myself after Stockport that I wouldn't go away until next season (City got a 2-2 draw by the way), I decided to go and watch Bradford Town again to enjoy Western League hospitality.
5 of us were going, so after a few refreshments at The Three Horseshoes we headed down to Trowbridge Road for the game against Oldland Abbotonians. Oldland are a club based in nearby Bristol, next to Oldland Common, and that is all I know about them really, having never been to Oldland I cannot say much more!
Town have lost Matty Cooper since I last watched them, and given his knack for scoring important goals we discussed what impact it would have, but given he has moved for family reasons good luck to him.
Town were playing some very nice football, and could have raced into an early lead with a couple of good chances narrowly going over, or being saved by the keeper. Bradford were showing an intent around the box that has sadly been missing from recent City games, and a few of the moves were very nicely executed, including a wonderful interchange between Minnis and his new partner, that should have led to the lead.
Instead, following the trend of this season, Oldland in their first real attack managed to find the back of the Bradford net with a shot flashed past the keeper. 0-1 to Abbotonians. Bradford carried on attacking, but a little bit of the verve had gone out of their play and the game went into halftime 0-1.
At this point we decided to go into the old Avon Club to purchase a can of beer. Here a little bit of history is needed. Bradford on Avon despite its picturesque nature, has historically been a working town, originally making its money from the wool trade, and there are many wool mills left in the town (sadly they are all flats now) then the economy moved onto rubber with Moulton Rubber being the towns main employer, in time Moulton Rubber were taken over by Avon Rubber. The rubber factory ran a club for the workers, which is the Avon Club which is part of the area that contains the football facilities. Originally the club was well used, and often full with the company subsidising the beer and ensuring events were held. However, with the rubber company leaving Bradford the club fell onto hard times and closed suddenly last year.
However, the bowls club and football club remain, and have to have an area which sells alcohol. So despite the bar being locked behind shutters, still with bottles and everything to run a bar there, the football club sell cans from just in front of the shutters. It is an eerie sight, and one which prompted Palmer to comment that it was "like Cherynobl" when we saw the dusty chairs gathered around tables etc, but not used. There are old team photos on the walls, including a brilliant 1994 team shot, where Bradford are wearing Blackburn Rovers kit, right down to the red lace ties at the neck.
Having asked what was happening with the clubhouse, apparently they are willing to sell it, but also all the land adjacent, which as its a big plot of land will be very expensive. So no clearer on what was to happen we went outside to watch the rest of the game.
Bradford piled on the pressure, and from a cross from a freekick Bradford managed to score. Leading to number 5 for Oldland screaming "Who was marking that cunt?!" to which Palmer bellowed from the sidelines "You were, and less of the language there are children present." Superb, I do love non league football!
Nearing the end of the game, Bradford crossed the ball into the box again and Matty Minis continued his fine goalscoring form, despite his lacklustre performance he rose highest and powered his header home. 2-1 to Bradford and that was the way the game was to finish. Yet again Bradford had provided a welcome distraction, and our mood was further buoyed when we heard City had come from 2-0 down to score two goals in the last 10 to drag Darlington down with us.
5 of us were going, so after a few refreshments at The Three Horseshoes we headed down to Trowbridge Road for the game against Oldland Abbotonians. Oldland are a club based in nearby Bristol, next to Oldland Common, and that is all I know about them really, having never been to Oldland I cannot say much more!
Town have lost Matty Cooper since I last watched them, and given his knack for scoring important goals we discussed what impact it would have, but given he has moved for family reasons good luck to him.
Town were playing some very nice football, and could have raced into an early lead with a couple of good chances narrowly going over, or being saved by the keeper. Bradford were showing an intent around the box that has sadly been missing from recent City games, and a few of the moves were very nicely executed, including a wonderful interchange between Minnis and his new partner, that should have led to the lead.
Instead, following the trend of this season, Oldland in their first real attack managed to find the back of the Bradford net with a shot flashed past the keeper. 0-1 to Abbotonians. Bradford carried on attacking, but a little bit of the verve had gone out of their play and the game went into halftime 0-1.
At this point we decided to go into the old Avon Club to purchase a can of beer. Here a little bit of history is needed. Bradford on Avon despite its picturesque nature, has historically been a working town, originally making its money from the wool trade, and there are many wool mills left in the town (sadly they are all flats now) then the economy moved onto rubber with Moulton Rubber being the towns main employer, in time Moulton Rubber were taken over by Avon Rubber. The rubber factory ran a club for the workers, which is the Avon Club which is part of the area that contains the football facilities. Originally the club was well used, and often full with the company subsidising the beer and ensuring events were held. However, with the rubber company leaving Bradford the club fell onto hard times and closed suddenly last year.
However, the bowls club and football club remain, and have to have an area which sells alcohol. So despite the bar being locked behind shutters, still with bottles and everything to run a bar there, the football club sell cans from just in front of the shutters. It is an eerie sight, and one which prompted Palmer to comment that it was "like Cherynobl" when we saw the dusty chairs gathered around tables etc, but not used. There are old team photos on the walls, including a brilliant 1994 team shot, where Bradford are wearing Blackburn Rovers kit, right down to the red lace ties at the neck.
Having asked what was happening with the clubhouse, apparently they are willing to sell it, but also all the land adjacent, which as its a big plot of land will be very expensive. So no clearer on what was to happen we went outside to watch the rest of the game.
Bradford piled on the pressure, and from a cross from a freekick Bradford managed to score. Leading to number 5 for Oldland screaming "Who was marking that cunt?!" to which Palmer bellowed from the sidelines "You were, and less of the language there are children present." Superb, I do love non league football!
Nearing the end of the game, Bradford crossed the ball into the box again and Matty Minis continued his fine goalscoring form, despite his lacklustre performance he rose highest and powered his header home. 2-1 to Bradford and that was the way the game was to finish. Yet again Bradford had provided a welcome distraction, and our mood was further buoyed when we heard City had come from 2-0 down to score two goals in the last 10 to drag Darlington down with us.
Monday 9 April 2012
Easter Monday against Gump
Since last writing City had actually won again, away at Tamworth, however, like the Barrow win I wasn't there! So despite travelling around the country like the littlest hobo I still haven't seen City win since Barrow away last season, which the ticket still in my wallet reliably informs me was 26th March 2011.
So with the second game of the Easter weekend against nearby Gloucestershire club Forest Green Rovers at Twerton Park, the fans reconvened at Twerton Park, or soon to be something else Park as the stadium draw was to be held at half time.
This though was not the most exciting part of the game for me, I am now officially happy, as I am on the front cover of City's programme! I have finally made it to the big time, and have achieved all I need to in my life.
The game was played in miserable weather, where once again I praised the Popular Side roof and thanked my lucky stars that I wasn't in the uncovered away end, where a sizeable chunk of the 219 away fans were still standing.
FGR weren't starting with Reece Styche which was a bonus as I had been saying all week that he was bound to score against us. City were playing ok, although offering nothing going forward. In a game of sod all importance, there came one of the worse clashes I have seen all season. On 18 minutes Marley Watkins went up for a header, and I'm not sure if it was a clash of heads or a deliberate elbow, but suddenly Watkins was awash with blood. The blood was pouring from the front and back of his head. Marley went off to I assume have stitches put in, however, they obviously couldn't stem the flow and Murray replaced him on 24.
The game was drifting towards a nothing sort of first half, before on 44 minutes Lewis Hogg played a horrendously bad pass back towards Glyn Garner, who had no chance of getting there, Yan Klukowshi (who started his career at City, but has since played in America, and is FGR's top goalscorer) got to the ball first, rounded the stranded Garner and slotted the ball into the net. 0-1 and a ridiculous goal to concede.
At half time the draw for "Name the Stadium" was done, and the winning name was "Mayday Trust Park" which is as good as we could have hoped for. It retains the name Park, and is a worthy cause to gain some publicity (http://www.maydaytrust.org.uk/) however, I and the other stripes will still be calling the ground Twerton Park, I imagine the only one who will call it Mayday Park is Mark Stillman the stadium announcer.
City continued to toil in the rain, but for all their attempted football they were toothless in the final third and as per the rest of the season we were truly blunt in attack. The rain continued, Josh Egan came on and managed to get over half an hour of game time. While he didn't actually show much, a lot of people have high hopes for young Egan, and hope a more sustainable approach will lead to future City squads based on youthful, locally based players. It maybe pie in the sky, but who knows.
Reece Styche came on, and surprise surprise he scored. 0-2 and this was how the game finished, City had no real clear chances on goal, and a depressing game ended.
As a footnote to the game, I walked back to Oldfield Park in the pissing rain, before seeing some FGR fans try and giving it borderline, Danny Dyer large to some younger City fans. Clearly, they must have said something to someone in one of the pubs in Twerton/Oldfield as out of nowhere a plank of wood waiving mentalist appeared. Cue mayhem, with the man with the plank/club posturing at one end of the ramp while the knuckle dragging Neanderthals were throwing glass bottles and insults.
So man with plank runs to higher ground and swings plank at crowd of FGR fans, wet plank falls from hand, man decides one on fifteen isn't odds he fancies and scarpers, chased by the baying pack. Bizarre.
So with the second game of the Easter weekend against nearby Gloucestershire club Forest Green Rovers at Twerton Park, the fans reconvened at Twerton Park, or soon to be something else Park as the stadium draw was to be held at half time.
This though was not the most exciting part of the game for me, I am now officially happy, as I am on the front cover of City's programme! I have finally made it to the big time, and have achieved all I need to in my life.
 |
| My 15minutes of fame! |
The game was played in miserable weather, where once again I praised the Popular Side roof and thanked my lucky stars that I wasn't in the uncovered away end, where a sizeable chunk of the 219 away fans were still standing.
FGR weren't starting with Reece Styche which was a bonus as I had been saying all week that he was bound to score against us. City were playing ok, although offering nothing going forward. In a game of sod all importance, there came one of the worse clashes I have seen all season. On 18 minutes Marley Watkins went up for a header, and I'm not sure if it was a clash of heads or a deliberate elbow, but suddenly Watkins was awash with blood. The blood was pouring from the front and back of his head. Marley went off to I assume have stitches put in, however, they obviously couldn't stem the flow and Murray replaced him on 24.
The game was drifting towards a nothing sort of first half, before on 44 minutes Lewis Hogg played a horrendously bad pass back towards Glyn Garner, who had no chance of getting there, Yan Klukowshi (who started his career at City, but has since played in America, and is FGR's top goalscorer) got to the ball first, rounded the stranded Garner and slotted the ball into the net. 0-1 and a ridiculous goal to concede.
At half time the draw for "Name the Stadium" was done, and the winning name was "Mayday Trust Park" which is as good as we could have hoped for. It retains the name Park, and is a worthy cause to gain some publicity (http://www.maydaytrust.org.uk/) however, I and the other stripes will still be calling the ground Twerton Park, I imagine the only one who will call it Mayday Park is Mark Stillman the stadium announcer.
City continued to toil in the rain, but for all their attempted football they were toothless in the final third and as per the rest of the season we were truly blunt in attack. The rain continued, Josh Egan came on and managed to get over half an hour of game time. While he didn't actually show much, a lot of people have high hopes for young Egan, and hope a more sustainable approach will lead to future City squads based on youthful, locally based players. It maybe pie in the sky, but who knows.
Reece Styche came on, and surprise surprise he scored. 0-2 and this was how the game finished, City had no real clear chances on goal, and a depressing game ended.
As a footnote to the game, I walked back to Oldfield Park in the pissing rain, before seeing some FGR fans try and giving it borderline, Danny Dyer large to some younger City fans. Clearly, they must have said something to someone in one of the pubs in Twerton/Oldfield as out of nowhere a plank of wood waiving mentalist appeared. Cue mayhem, with the man with the plank/club posturing at one end of the ramp while the knuckle dragging Neanderthals were throwing glass bottles and insults.
So man with plank runs to higher ground and swings plank at crowd of FGR fans, wet plank falls from hand, man decides one on fifteen isn't odds he fancies and scarpers, chased by the baying pack. Bizarre.
Sunday 1 April 2012
Richard Brodie what a nob
So with this season of despair finally winding down, City entertained highflying (and high spending) Fleetwood Town. Fleetwood have had a lot of money thrown at them and have amongst their ranks Jamie Vardy who was allegedly the subject of a £ 1 million bid in January that was turned down! Yes, you read that correctly, a non league club turned down a £ 1 million bid for a single player, you could have our whole squad, and the keys to Twerton, Whiteway and Oldfield for that money. Vardy is prolific as well, and currently has over 30 goals this season.
So vastly outspent the men in stripes lined up to face the table toppers, and to be honest the mood was bleak with some scores being predicted of double figures that wouldn't have been that outlandish.
True to the expected form Fleetwood swarmed all over City, with the stripes pegged back in their own half. Fleetwood were creating chances left, right and centre and on 11 minutes Jamie Vardy fired the ball past Garner into the roof of the net. 0-1 how many more would be scored?
With Jamie Cook alone upfront City posed no threat whatsoever, with the isolated front man making no impact and no-one getting anywhere near him to support. From a corner near half-time a short pass was played to Cavanagh who trapped the ball, advanced slightly before unleashing a daisy cutter into the bottom corner, 0-2.
Gethin Jones came on for Simpson at half-time and went to the fullback spot, and had one of his better games this season at right back. Richard Brodie came on after 68 minutes, Brodie is an interesting character, he began his career at Whickham, before joining Newcastle Benfield (http://drinkupyecider.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/diversionary-tactics.html) which helpfully I have been to! After scoring for Benfield against York City in a preseason friendly he joined the Minstermen, he scored a fair few for York before being signed by moneybags and scumbags Crawley Town, he helped Crawley to promotion last year before joining Fleetwood Town this season on loan. Instantly Brodie made an impact and had a shot narrowly deflected wide.
City were defending valiantly, with Jamie Cook heading a Brodie chance of the line, befor Gallinagh hacked one clear with Garner beaten. However, it wasn't to last and City conceding another was only a matter of time. A low cross into the box deflected off of Andy Gallinagh and rolled into the net for an unfortunate own goal 0-3. 5 minutes later, Preece lost the ball on the half way line and Brodie advanced on Garner before firing coolly into the net 0-4.
City suddenly though, rallied and came back at Fleetwood and created more chances in the last 15 than they had in the previous 75! Geth and Hoggy linked up nicely wide on the right and Hoggy's powerful shot was tipped over the bar by the Fleetwood custodian. Shortly after City reduced the arrears when Cooks inviting cross was well met by Adam Connolly who's well placed header beat Davies, 1-4 and that was City's first goal since beating Lincoln 4 games previously.
Now for the title of this piece. Fleetwood despite their superiority were a nasty, niggling bunch of arseholes. We had the obligatory Hoggy bust up, when Lewis locked horns with Mangan. Then Brodie was pinching and pushing Gethin Jones, Geth threw a slight elbow into his stomach and Brodie hit the floor like he'd been shot, embarrassed teammates picked him up, and thankfully Brodie was booked for diving. Why bother? The game was won, there was no need to it, and a pathetic thing to do.
Jones was then cynically stopped by Goodall while breaking down the right (again why?) and in the final minute a Scott Murray free kick found Joe Burnell who fired a decent shot at goal, that the keeper did exceptionally well to save. The game finished 1-4 and the day was done, or so we thought.
While sitting in The Old Crown waiting for Dave Phillips/Palmer, City's cameraman extraordinaire he arrived with a story to tell. While walking across the pitch after the game, he saw Brodie, and unable to resist the temptation, enquired as to his health as he saw that he was so grievously hurt mere minutes before, Brodie couldn't handle the pisstaking from a fans so threatened to "do in" Palmer. Amazing, what a complete bellend, not only a diver but someone who can't handle being told he is!
So vastly outspent the men in stripes lined up to face the table toppers, and to be honest the mood was bleak with some scores being predicted of double figures that wouldn't have been that outlandish.
True to the expected form Fleetwood swarmed all over City, with the stripes pegged back in their own half. Fleetwood were creating chances left, right and centre and on 11 minutes Jamie Vardy fired the ball past Garner into the roof of the net. 0-1 how many more would be scored?
With Jamie Cook alone upfront City posed no threat whatsoever, with the isolated front man making no impact and no-one getting anywhere near him to support. From a corner near half-time a short pass was played to Cavanagh who trapped the ball, advanced slightly before unleashing a daisy cutter into the bottom corner, 0-2.
Gethin Jones came on for Simpson at half-time and went to the fullback spot, and had one of his better games this season at right back. Richard Brodie came on after 68 minutes, Brodie is an interesting character, he began his career at Whickham, before joining Newcastle Benfield (http://drinkupyecider.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/diversionary-tactics.html) which helpfully I have been to! After scoring for Benfield against York City in a preseason friendly he joined the Minstermen, he scored a fair few for York before being signed by moneybags and scumbags Crawley Town, he helped Crawley to promotion last year before joining Fleetwood Town this season on loan. Instantly Brodie made an impact and had a shot narrowly deflected wide.
City were defending valiantly, with Jamie Cook heading a Brodie chance of the line, befor Gallinagh hacked one clear with Garner beaten. However, it wasn't to last and City conceding another was only a matter of time. A low cross into the box deflected off of Andy Gallinagh and rolled into the net for an unfortunate own goal 0-3. 5 minutes later, Preece lost the ball on the half way line and Brodie advanced on Garner before firing coolly into the net 0-4.
City suddenly though, rallied and came back at Fleetwood and created more chances in the last 15 than they had in the previous 75! Geth and Hoggy linked up nicely wide on the right and Hoggy's powerful shot was tipped over the bar by the Fleetwood custodian. Shortly after City reduced the arrears when Cooks inviting cross was well met by Adam Connolly who's well placed header beat Davies, 1-4 and that was City's first goal since beating Lincoln 4 games previously.
Now for the title of this piece. Fleetwood despite their superiority were a nasty, niggling bunch of arseholes. We had the obligatory Hoggy bust up, when Lewis locked horns with Mangan. Then Brodie was pinching and pushing Gethin Jones, Geth threw a slight elbow into his stomach and Brodie hit the floor like he'd been shot, embarrassed teammates picked him up, and thankfully Brodie was booked for diving. Why bother? The game was won, there was no need to it, and a pathetic thing to do.
Jones was then cynically stopped by Goodall while breaking down the right (again why?) and in the final minute a Scott Murray free kick found Joe Burnell who fired a decent shot at goal, that the keeper did exceptionally well to save. The game finished 1-4 and the day was done, or so we thought.
While sitting in The Old Crown waiting for Dave Phillips/Palmer, City's cameraman extraordinaire he arrived with a story to tell. While walking across the pitch after the game, he saw Brodie, and unable to resist the temptation, enquired as to his health as he saw that he was so grievously hurt mere minutes before, Brodie couldn't handle the pisstaking from a fans so threatened to "do in" Palmer. Amazing, what a complete bellend, not only a diver but someone who can't handle being told he is!
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