The British Gas Business Football League Challenge Cup Saturday 4 August 2007 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm

City’s pre-season campaign came to an end with a typically physical encounter with Tiverton Town which climaxed in a penalty shoot-out that saw the Devon side run out 4-2 winners, following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes. The meeting, for the (dubious) honour of lifting The British Gas Business Football League Challenge Cup, fell somewhere between a competitive match and a pre-season outing but this did not prevent Tiverton showing glimpses of the unpleasant streak that has so often infected league meetings between the sides. To this end, City will have been grateful to have got through the game without picking up anymore serious injuries -the actual shoot-out defeat almost an after-thought. City’s starting line-up gave several clues to the likely XI that will face Bromley when the real action begins next Saturday. With only keeper Paul Evans and long-term injury victim Scott Partridge – both with neck problems – missing, the only (minor) surprise inclusion was Jim Rollo at left-back rather than new arrival Paul Keddle, who had impressed in previous pre-season outings.

The opening exchanges were just shaded by City – understandably given how they were a week ahead in their preparations – although there was a sign of things to come when Tiverton captain – and lead thug – Nathan Rudge’s first involvement was to flatten Darren Edwards. Soon City’s upper hand began to see them create several half-chances, Edwards dragging a 17th minute effort wide and Chris Holland – sporting a new shaven headed look – direct a header straight into the arms of former City keeper Ray Johnston from a Mark McKeever header. At the other end City’s teenage keeper Eddie Quelch had to be sharply off his line on a couple of occasions, but wasn’t forced into anything resembling a difficult save. City broke the deadlock on 34 minutes when Villis blocked Scott Rogers’ cross with his arm and Lewis Hogg confidently dispatched the resultant penalty. The lead only lasted seven minutes however, as Quelch misjudged a Vinnicombe cross and Young found the net via a deflection off Adie Harris. Edwards should have restored City’s lead before the interval when Hogg dispossessed a Tiverton defender and sent him clear. Johnston was stranded in no-man’s land only for Edwards’ lob to sail over the bar.

Although the semi-serious nature of the game prevented either side making more than the standard three substitutions City made a change at half-time – Jason Wood replacing McKeever. Early in the second half a goalmouth scramble almost allowed Dave Gilroy and Edwards to strike for City but the danger was finally cleared. After an hour Tiverton’s approach finally saw the game boil over. Understandably, given the nature of the game, the referee had tried to take a low-key approach to controlling proceedings but, typically, the visitors overstepped the mark when Gardener’s shocking challenge on Hogg sparked a 20-man brawl. Both players ended up in the book but it was an unseemly incident, sadly very characteristic of the Tiverton. After this incident City players appeared more intent on making sure they finished the game in one piece – although Rogers was not so lucky as another late challenge forced him off, though luckily not with a serious injury - and with Tiverton having long since realised their only chance of winning the game was in a penalty shoot-out, their was very little in the way of further goalmouth action. What there was was created by City as substitute Craig Davidge produced several threatening runs but the game soon petered out.

Thankfully the two sides had agreed to go straight to penalties rather than put the 288 crowd through another 30 minutes extra time. After Gardener had beaten Quelch, Hogg repeated his normal time success. Tiverton’s Clarke and City’s Wood then made it 2-2 before Booth put the yellows ahead. Edwards then put his effort too close to Johnston, which Rudge did not do to move Tiverton to the brink of victory. And when Harris saw his kick saved they were over the line. The celebrations that followed were more suited to a FA Cup Final victory than this ‘competition’ but given their approach to the game not unexpected. Understandably City’s players were disappointed to have lost the game but they can now all look forward to the serious – though, ironically, probably less physical – action beginning the following week.