|
Thursday 26 December 2002 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division 
|
|
| half-time: 1-1 | result: D1-1 | attendance: 1972 |
| team: | Bryant, Bennett, Trought (Honor 27), Thorne (c), Kemp, Harvey, Gosling, Milsom (Rollo 80), Eaton, Cleverley (Lewis 85), Williams. subs not used: James, Shore. |
| man of the match: | Paul Milsom |
| scorers: | Eaton (13) |
| bookings: | Harvey (67), Milsom (70) |
| officials: | L Williamson (Surrey), M Halford (Bristol), C Young (Bristol) |
| league position: 14th | form: DLLLWD | next match: Crawley (A) |
It was never going to be pretty - or match the incredible events of the first clash between the sides back in August - but City and Chippenham still served up an entertaining Boxing Day encounter in which two headed goals within as many minutes early in the first half meant honours remained even. The styles were contrasting - City attempted to play football on the heavy pitch whilst Town were happy to take the more direct approach - and the home side probably shaded the game but in the end defeat would have been harsh on either team.
Chippenham's starting line-up featured five players very familiar to the Twerton Park faithful with Towler, Paul, Badman, Horgan and Mings totalling nearly 900 appearances in the black and white stripes between them. And they were all reminded of those better days as the home side started strongly. Gary Kemp headed a Frankie Bennett cross over after just three minutes and Jamie Gosling's free-kick forced the first of a number of fine saves out of Bittner two minutes later. However, in another painful reminder - this time of Saturday's game against Newport - City conceded a soft goal from their opponents first attack. Horgan's near post corner was lifted hopefully across goal by Griffin and Paul headed home from six yards out. The last time Chippenham scored against City it took them just 30 seconds to concede. They held on slightly longer this time but within two minutes City were level. Kemp made a rare foray forward to provide a pin-point cross that saw Jason Eaton rise above two defenders to power a header into the corner of the net. After such a frantic opening the game began to settle down and City began to make a mockery of the teams relative league positions. A 20th minute run by Any Williams almost gave Dan Cleverley - recalled in place of loan striker Matt Lewis - a shooting opportunity. Mike Trought limped from the action on 27th minutes suffering from a twisted knee (no falling wall involved, thankfully) to be replaced by Chris Honor. The 30th minute saw City win another free-kick some 25 yards out. Gosling again stepped up and his shot looked to be heading for the top corner before the fingertip intervention of Bittner denied him. The resultant corner was cleared as far as Bennett. He found the head of Gary Thorne only for the keeper to make another excellent block, this time with his legs. City's defence was coping well with the Bluebird's physical approach although they almost gifted a second goal to the Wiltshire side on 35 minutes. Iain Harvey's rushed clearance struck Mings and rebounded to a offside looking Brown who, in the absence of a linesman flag, could only fire well over Mark Bryant's bar. The same player also saw another chance fall to him just before the interval only for Bennett to deny him with a well-timed tackle.
The second half began with Bryant spilling a Brown free-kick but recovering just in time to push the ball away from the incoming Paul. Cheered on by the majority of the biggest league attendance at Twerton Park since records began (or at least my archive records!) Thorne headed another Gosling free-kick inches over after 52 minutes. A minute later Mings was lucky to escape with just a caution for a dreadful challenge on Bennett that saw the City winger receive lengthy treatment on a gashed leg. The flow of the game was now being disrupted by numerous interuptions from an over fussy referee although he failed to award City anything when Bennett was clattered again, this time by Wayne Thorne, right on the edge of the Chippenham area in the 66th minute. His brother acted some revenge by felling Mings but only received a booking for his trouble. Both sides were clearly tiring on the heavy pitch but a stunning 50-yard run by Williams almost gave City the lead. With Eaton and Cleverley taking defenders away he was suddenly clear on Bittner's goal but could only drag his shot a yard wide of the post. Town's best spell of the game followed this escape. Bryant had to block Paul's low shot with his legs and then Brown almost got onto the end of a deflected Horgan free-kick. Another Bryant save, this time pushing away Paul's looping header, came with just five minutes remaining. After the last gasp excitement back in August both sides came close to repeating those events. Eaton sent a driven shot just over Bittner's bar and a stoppage time Brown volley flew across the face of Bryant's goal but with these chances gone both sides were left to reflect on a hard earned point and settle for a share of the West Country honour.