A well-earned point? Two points dropped? A fair result? Both teams had their chances to win an enthralling end-to-end game in which both keepers earned their money.

Before the match, Bashley boss Steve Riley said that given his side’s poor record at Milton Road, a draw would be a decent result. For City, it was important to bounce back from the midweek disappointment at Stourbridge.

Manager Gary Roberts brought in Laurie Stewart for the suspended Lee Chaffey, with John Frendo dropping to the bench to give Ashley Fuller a start on the left flank. Riley handed Max Cream his first start since joining the club.

The decent crowd had hardly time to settle when Tony Burke was put through by Neil Midgley, the tricky wide player bringing a good save out off David Elm, who managed to push the effort away.

David Elm claims the ball ahead of Stewart

The pitch was quite heavy and showing signs that it would cut up, but with credit to both teams, open and attacking football was the order of the day. Within seconds of Burke’s strike, Bashley’s Gary Middleton was testing Zac Barrett with a header – and that set the template for the after noon: attack and counter-attack for more or less 90 minutes.

On nine minutes skipper Adrian Cambridge’s deep ball from midfield found Fuller on the left whose cross was hustled out for a corner. Seconds later Bashley responded with a sharp strike from Justine Keeler which was turned around the post by Barrett.

It looked as if City were to break the deadlock on 21 minutes when the home team broke well, Gentle’s excellent touch on opening up the left flank. Fuller eventually put in the cross which Gentle met with a downward header that Elm half stopped. The big striker lunged forward but couldn’t get enough on the ball to take it over the line – maybe on a drier day the ball would have bobbled those extra few inches but today it stuck and the referee ruled no goal.

However, City were to be the first on the score sheet just sixty seconds later. Burke, who following his effort in the first minute was having a relatively quiet time, suddenly burst forward on the right before sliding the ball to Midgley who once again found the net with a fine strike to record his sixth in five league matches and his tenth in the competition.
 

Skipper Adrian Cambridge had to leave the field to change his shirt on 28 minutes, his absence exploited by a quick Bashley midfield who released Cream. His strike was pushed away by Barrett for a corner from which Chris Knowles headed wide.


Without a doubt, the visitors were having the best of the game around the half hour mark but when they scored their equaliser there was an element of fortune to it. Awarded a dubious corner, Bashley centred the ball which the City defence simply didn’t deal with, the ball finally bouncing out to skipper Dave Allen. His low drive through a crowded box gave Barrett no chance as it found the corner of the net.

With the Bashley defence sitting deep, clear cut chances were at a premium. Midgley managed to release Fuller on the half way line, the wide men making good progress before unleashing a swirling shot that went a foot over on 43 – and typical of this game, Knowles made an instant retaliation with a drive just wide of Barrett’s right hand post.

Level terms at half time was about fair, with both keepers having to earn their money.

Steve Gentle is crowded out at the near post

Substitutes Pat Bexfield and  Jamie Barker replaced Gentle and Kennedy at the beginning the second half for City. Barker nearly made an immediate impact when on 49 minutes his snapshot brought a parried save from Elm. Knowles showed what a threat he could be when he fired in a raking drive from outside the box which went just wide.

Barker notched his first league goal for City when he rose above the Bashley defence to head home Cambridge’s corner from the left. His firm header gave Elm no chance – 2-1 to the home team with 55 on the clock.

But it was a short lived lead. James Krause was adjudged to have tripped Adam Kelly in the box, Allen stepping up to fire home the equaliser on 56 minutes. It was probably a trip but Kelly gained few friends with his theatrical fall. It looked as if he’d been taken out by an eagle-eyed sniper in the stands rather than by a clumsy challenge.

A Bashley attack on the hour saw Barrett make two scrambling saves before the ball was hacked away for a corner, the visitors having much the better of this period of play and could have scored on 65 when Allen dragged his shot, giving Barrett the chance to get down.

Fuller’s low drive on 70 across the box could have gone anywhere when it took a deflection, the ball screwing away for a corner. Similarly, Charles Knight’s effort on 73 was cleared away over the bar to safety by Dave Theobald for a corner when it could have flown in the net.

Ricky Miller, on for Burke, made two fine contributions on 81, wriggling through the defence twice on the left and pulling the ball back but failing to find a team mate. City had further efforts when Cambridge’s direct free kick on 83 scraped the bar and later Miller snatched at his shot on 87 when another touch would have been a better option, his effort dragging wide.

An entertaining game in which both teams played their part and one which should encourage the participants of the half time penalty shootout to attend again.

Post match reaction Gary Roberts To follow...