Saturday 7 January 2006 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm

Southern League Premier Division
half-time: 1-0 result: D1-1 attendance: 661
team: Evans, Rollo (c), Power, Coupe, S Jones, Harris, Bird, Clarke (Holloway 83), Walsh, Partridge (Davidge 83), Sandell. subs not used: Sykes, Branton, York.
man of the match: Matt Coupe
scorers: Bird (35)
bookings: Coupe (54)
officials: C Williams (Cheltenham), P Stowe (Evesham), S Plane (Pershore)
league position: 7th form: WWLLWD next match: Mangotsfield (A)
Report taken from by Richard Gadsby

It may have been City's first point against a side higher than them in the Southern Premier Division, but it felt like another defeat as John Relish's side wasted a host of chances to kill off play-off rivals Bedford. A late penalty miss proved costly for City in the reverse fixture in September and so it proved again with Andy Sandell failing to put the game beyond Bedford from the spot this time around. Not that there weren't plenty of positives to take from the City display. From a neutral perspective it was a cracking game of football, arguably the best Twerton Park has seen this season, and City had to be on top form to outplay the high-flying Eagles. They enjoyed the lion's share of possession, created some great chances and should probably have been playing against ten men - but City desperately need to learn how to put the ball in the back of the net if they want to win promotion this season.

Despite some good play from both sides there were few chances in the opening stages with Bedford testing the home backline initially before City slowly started to control possession. It was refreshing to see a side come to Twerton Park in search of three points and with City pushing men forward it was only a matter of time before cracks began to show. The first opening fell to Phillip Walsh on 18 minutes when he beat the offside trap but sliced a poor shot high and wide from a tight angle. An Adie Harris header just went over the bar after a nice chip into the box from Tony Bird and then Steve Jones, Bird and Sandell all saw efforts stopped on the line in a 30-second spell. It looked like City's best chance of the half had passed but then Bird, who was at the heart of everything the hosts created, headed them in front from a Sandell cross. Bedford very nearly levelled straight from the restart when Jason James' stooping header went straight to Paul Evans after a quick break and cross from James Hatch. City went into the break deservedly ahead though and the question at half-time was whether both sides would be able to maintain the game's intense tempo.

If anything, the game improved with City still playing the better football whilst Bedford looked dangerous on the break. A curling effort from Hatch was well saved by Evans at the start of the half but it was all City for the next 25 minutes. A long throw-in from Sandell was flicked on by Walsh and Bird's stretched leg was just inches away from doubling their lead. Harris saw a close-range effort cannon off the keeper and go for a corner after a powerful run into the box took him past two players as City increased the pressure. The game's turning point came moments later when Bird broke quickly and, after a nice interchange with Walsh, set Scott Partridge up for a run into the box. Before Partridge could pull the trigger, he was brought down from behind by Gavin Hoyte and the referee pointed to the spot. Hoyte was very lucky to escape with a yellow card and, to make matters worse for City, Sandell's well-placed strike was stopped by a brilliant low dive by keeper Ian Brown. The home side were made to pay for Sandell's missed opportunity just four minutes later. First Andrew Phillips saw an effort cleared off the line by Walsh and, from the resulting corner, Steven Priestnall stabbed home the equaliser from close range. It was harsh on City but credit to Bedford, who had looked a constant danger on the break and always looked capable of nicking something. In fact, they almost took all three points at the death when Phillips broke clean through only to see his low effort well saved by Evans.