New signing Stuart Niven marked his second full appearance for City with a well taken goal but despite providing a man of the match performance, could not inspire City to their first league win since the end of January, in this six pointer with Halesowen Town. Niven was everywhere for City and involved in most of what they did, giving Lilywhites fans a taste of what to expect when the former Barnet man gets back to full match fitness.
At a very damp and windy Grove, City were quickly into their stride, threatening as early as the eighth minute. Back in favour striker Robbie Simpson combined well down the right hand side with Danny Bloomfield before placing a lovely ball across the six yard area, unfortunately there was no white shirt on hand to apply a finishing touch.
Considering both clubs were desperate for the points to ease relegation fears, this was no dour struggle, both sides played an open passing game that made a mockery of not only the high stakes involved but also the lowly league placings of the two teams.
Halesowen's Mark Danks provided cause for concern when he skipped past Colin Vowden's challenge on the edge of the area and placed a curling shot just wide of the post, but City's keeper Martin Davies looked to have it covered. City responded with Jack Wignall, up supporting an attack, firing in a hard shot from just outside the area that thudded into the chest of home keeper, Tim Clarke. The action continued to swing from one end to the other and two minutes on a ball forward from Gavin Stone found Fraser McHugh in the City area. He turned Vowden before scuffing his shot wide of the far post.
Stuart Niven clears upfield
A 25th minute corner came close to paying dividends for the visitors when the attentions of Simpson forced Clarke to get his punch all wrong. The big keeper only succeeded in knocking the ball down to Leon Gutzmore who tried to force it home from close range but somehow it was blocked on the line and scrambled away. Not to be outdone, Halesowen forced a quality save form Davies following a corner of their own soon after. The initial corner kick was headed away by Vowden but only as far as Les Hines, as the City defence pushed out he let fly with a ferocious drive that flew through a ruck of players, Davies saw it late but was alert enough to palm it away, Shane Wardley clearing up the loose ends.
With half-time fast approaching, City finally broke the deadlock. In a flowing four man move, City carved open the home side. Wooding found Gutzmore with a precise pass, he in turn fed Wardley on the left. The diminutive full-back scampered to the goal-line before pulling the ball back perfectly into the path of Niven. Showing a cool head Niven sidestepped the lunging tackle of Stuart Skidmore, then with a flick of the outside of his boot Gary Bauress was sent the wrong way, then despite a desperate attempt to block by Stone, Niven calmly slotted the ball into the corner of the net.
Adie Hayes looks to give his marker
the slip
Briefly, Halesowen heads dropped and City so nearly took advantage. Gutzmore using a lapse in the home sides concentration as Stone and Niven squared up to each other, to place a teasing ball across the face of goal which Simpson was only a whisker away from making contact with a diving header.
Within a minute of the restart City almost doubled their tally. Bloomfield found space on the right, crossing to find Adie Hayes. A quick turn lost his marker but Clarke was equal to his shot diving full length to turn it away for a corner. Sixty seconds later the home side were lucky not to be reduced to ten men when Stone brought down Simpson when the youngster was first to a loose ball, the defender had already been booked in the first-half for a scything tackle from behind on the same player, however, he escaped further punishment.
City continued to call the tune and Simpson saw a shot sail wide but The Yeltz were always dangerous on the break and this point was almost proved when City lost possession in the 50th minute. A swift break ended with Jason Ashby crossing for McHugh to place a looping header goalwards but fortunately it posed no trouble for Davies as he fell on the ball at the foot of the post. The home side again threatened on the hour, McHugh's effort from distance although dipping quickly, never really looked like pulling the home side level. Sixty seconds later Hayes echoed McHugh's effort with a similar result.
A distinct "this isn't going to be our day" feeling seemed to pass round the ground when in the 65th minute Ashby squandered a golden chance to get Halesowen back on equal terms. Lee Williams' flighted ball forward dropped just over the head of Wooding into the feet of Ashby, he controlled well and with the goal at his mercy placed a shot wide of the angle. However, the Grove faithful did not have too long to bemoan that miss as two minutes later it was all square. Bloomfield lost the ball to Williams, he surged forward before running into a brick wall comprising of Vowden and Wooding on the edge of the City area. The ball broke to Danks and the youngster, on loan from Bradford City, wasted no time in firing a lovely shot beyond Davies and in off the far post.
Wardley fired over when well placed and Ashby did likewise before City were given a major scare by Williams. With seven minutes remaining the midfielder produced a jinking run into the visitors area that saw him hit a low shot that did not look to have the power to worry the City goal, but it was left by everybody including Davies and time seemed to stand still as the ball, almost in slow motion, trickled only narrowly wide of the post.
Robbie Simpson forces Tim Clarke
into an error
Moments later and City had a guilt edged chance of their own. Niven got forward and played Hayes into space, his low hard cross evaded everybody to find Bloomfield unmarked on the far side of the area. Unfortunately for City, their leading league scorer could not oblige with a finish, only managing to scoop the ball high over the bar from 12 yards. This was to be Bloomfield's final action of the afternoon as minutes later he was carried off with what looked a nasty knock, to further compound City's injury woes.
In the final minute, City's hard work over the previous 89 was almost undone by a near calamitous mix-up. Ashby's pass forward into the area from out wide should have been easily mopped up but Davies and Wooding left it to each other and Danks nipped to steal the ball but he ran out of pitch and could only hit the side netting, much to the relief of all those connected with City.
Post match reaction
Gary Roberts
I thought we did enough to win it. The most pleasing thing about yesterday was the performance. I thought we looked alot sharper, we passed the ball around alot better and we looked like we could retain possession which we haven't done for a little while.........more
