City’s inability to turn their territorial advantage into goals cost them dear as they slipped to another disappointing Milton Road defeat despite enjoying almost total control for large periods of this entertaining encounter.
With both Adie Hayes and Danny Bloomfield surviving late injury scares the return of Steve Holden in favour of Tim Wooding represented the only change from Saturday’s starting line-up at Newport.
As has been the pattern of recent weeks City made a bright start. With only three minutes on the clock however the Lilywhites spurned a golden opportunity to notch an early strike which would, in all probability, have altered the final outcome of the match. With the Moors defending high up the pitch Kevin Wilkin played a neat reverse pass over the top of the back line and into the path of Robbie Simpson who raced clear on goal through the inside right channel. The young City striker was however out-manoeuvred by Adam Rachel in the visitors’ goal who stood up long enough to force Simpson into a decision. In attempting to walk the ball round the ‘keeper he succeeded only in pushing his effort wide and behind for a goal kick.
Having survived this early scare the Moors began to force their way back into the game. When the ball was worked into the feet of Jae Martin on the edge of the City box there seemed little danger but he twisted wide enough of Steve Holden to fire low at Martin Davies who failed to gather cleanly allowing the ball to run free to Rob Elmes but the City stopper reacted quickly to make up for his earlier error by smothering the rebound.
Having failed to take heed of the earlier warning the Moors back line were caught out for a second time as the lively Simpson sprang the offside trap once more, again latching on to a Wilkin through ball he cut in from the right wing only to see his cross shot forced behind by the outstretched leg of Chris Gillard. The experienced Wilkin was at the heart of all City’s forward probing. With 14 minutes played he collected a Hayes throw on the left hand side and made the bye line before angling the ball back across the box to Bloomfield who cut inside onto his left foot but his resultant low shot was comfortably gathered by Rachel.
A minute later and all City’s good early work was undone. Martin was allowed time on the left hand side to centre for Lamey who cushioned a header into the path of the unmarked Jai Stanley, creating the angle to allow the former Bedworth midfielder to drive low and hard past Martin Davies at his near post. With City still reeling the Moors should have doubled their lead within a minute. Stanley and Lamey again combined on the right hand side to create a superb opening for Jae Martin, his driven centre picked out Rob Elmes on the far post but with most of the goal to aim at, the player who had already netted once at Milton Road this season in the colours of Halesowen, fired over the bar.
As City looked for a way back Adie Hayes swung a trademark right sided corner underneath the crossbar causing Rachel to fumble under pressure from Wilkin but Richard Evans was first to react clearing for another corner which came to nothing. Moments later neat interplay between Sturgess and Niven created an opening for Bloomfield on the right hand edge of the box but the former Bournemouth striker didn’t have enough space to make a decent contact.
City’s normally resolute defence looked uncharacteristically shaky throughout the first half. Just before the half hour mark Stanley’s persistence saw him ride a challenge from Hayes in centre field and then likewise Steve Holden on the edge of the box before dragging a presentable opportunity wide of Martin Davies’ right hand post.
At the other end City continued to show promise without ever really threatening the Moors’ goal. On the half hour mark Simpson collected a lofted ball played down the left touchline by Wardley. Showing good feet he cut inside and seemed to be working a good shooting position when felled by Richard Robinson on the edge of box, just left of centre. Surprisingly it was Simpson himself who lined up the dead ball, dipping a right foot effort over the bar. Having possibly been fortunate to avoid a card for that challenge Robinson floored Simpson again in the next City attack, this time he wasn’t so lucky.
With 10 minutes of the half remaining a City attack down the right flank was broken up by Rachel who, some 10 yards outside his area controlled the ball in his midriff and passed coolly to Lamey on the halfway line. In one movement the former Villa midfielder turned and played a low ball inside Wignall for Martin to run onto. His deep cross caused chaos in the City box. As the Lilywhites failed to clear Stanley played the ball back across to Martin, unmarked on the far post with Davies stranded. As Jack Wignall attempted to recover his ground his challenge seemed sufficient to force Martin to fire over he was however adjudged by Mr Darlow the referee to have played the man first and a penalty was awarded. Lamey crashing the resultant spot kick powerfully past Davies.
As City tried desperately to get something back before the interval yet another quality flick from Wilkin played in Simpson who showed superb control to leave Gillard in his wake only to be unceremoniously floored by the Moors’ longest serving player, which earned him the second yellow card of the evening. As the half drew to a close City began to exert some sustained pressure. Stuart Niven’s long throw was proving to be as good as a place kick on occasions. With only a couple of minutes remaining before the interval the Moors defence failed to deal effectively with one such set play, the ball falling to Adie Hayes on the edge of the box but his first time shot sailed narrowly wide.
City were eager to start the second half in the same manner which they had ended the first but in the opening exchanges Moor Green successfully denied them space in the middle of the park and thus prevented the early strike that may have allowed the Lilywhites sufficient time to save the game. It wasn’t until 55 minutes when a powerful Simpson shot on the turn was blocked by Craig Woodley that City threatened.
As the half wore on City began to exert increasing authority and with a two goal advantage the Moors were happy to defend deep and soak up the pressure. On 64 minutes more good work from Wilkin, this time on the right, created a shooting opportunity for Simpson. His fierce strike cannoned off Woodley again with no City player on hand to convert the loose ball.
As the City pressure increased Moor Green began to concede an increasing number of corners. From one such dead ball on the left hand side, delivered by the increasingly influential Niven, Simpson arched a near post headed over the stretching Rachel only for Evans to pop up on the far post and clear the danger. From another partially cleared corner Niven lofted a spiralling centre in from the right. Simpson made a good clean connection forcing a back-peddling Rachel to tip the ball over the bar. Niven’s resultant corner was partially cleared back to the taker whose precise second ball picked out Wilkin, with Rachel beaten his angled header landed agonisingly on the roof of the net.
City were now camped in the visitors’ half. With 15 minutes remaining Adie Hayes took a quick throw in on the left hand side. Simpson collected and squared the ball to Sturgess who curled a right foot shot just wide of Rachel’s left hand upright.
On 78 minutes Matt Clements replaced Danny Bloomfield who appeared not to have fully recovered from a knock sustained moments earlier which had required lengthy treatment. The next meaningful action saw City net a long overdue opening goal. Colin Vowden lofted a high ball into the clear night sky, as it came down just inside the area Rob Sturgess squared a cushion header to an unmarked Robbie Simpson, who falling forwards from eight yards out, directed the ball past an unprotected Rachel. City had threatened to strike back throughout the second period but in truth the first goal was too long in coming.
With City preparing to take an 85th minute free kick Dan Huggins replaced Jack Wignall. As Colin Vowden launched another ball into the box Kevin Wilkin rose highest and expertly found Simpson with a deft header, Simpson’s effort on goal (also headed) was however comfortably gathered by Rachel.
With three minutes left City produced their best attempt at an equalising goal. Sturgess played the ball in from wide on the right finding Niven on the edge of the box. Niven’s superb angled pass dissected the defence and picked out the on-rushing Clements who flashed a first time volley across goal only to see Rachel make an excellent one-handed reaction save and force the ball behind for a corner. Yet another quality delivery from Niven followed, this time Vowden was on the end of it, the City skipper headed the ball back across a beaten Rachel but his effort narrowly cleared the angle of post and cross bar.
As City continued to press Sturgess was booked when he was adjudged to have gone in too fiercely for a loose ball on the edge of the box, Chris Gillard coming off the worse as the two tangled. There was one final chance for City when Wilkin was bundled over on the edge of the area. Stanley picked up a caution possibly more for his reaction than the tackle but Niven’s curling free kick was gathered in by Rachel and the points secured by the visitors.
Despite the result City played some of the best football they have produced at Milton Road for some time, especially in the second period. Unfortunately the usually rock solid rear-guard had a shaky opening 45 minutes which undermined much of the good work. This defeat plunges the Lilywhites right back in the thick of the relegation dog-fight ahead of Saturday’s game against Crawley and whilst, on tonight’s showing, there is obviously the quality in the team to pull clear of the danger zone, City need to convert their chances and grind out results, especially at home, over the coming weeks.
