A sensational and sparkling goal blitz early in the first half gave City an easy and well deserved win again a physical, but hapless Tiverton side that simply had no answer to the Lilywhites’ creative endeavour.
City carried their form from Tuesday into this game, playing with authority in all parts of the pitch. They were good, but even their most ardent fans couldn’t have believed the soft capitulation shown by the visitors during a devastating four minutes between eight and eleven minutes which finished the game as a contest.
After just eight minutes City began their goal feast when Liam Nicell’s ball over the Tiverton defence found David Kolodynski who stretched to get his toe to a bouncing ball and poke it past Ryan Draper in the away goal.
The visitors conceded possession directly from the restart, skipper Adrian Cambridge winning the ball and feeding Kolodynski who in turn found Craig Hammond. The striker rounded the keeper and slotted home to record his fifth in five games and City’s second of the match.
Tiverton were clearly rocking and had lost all confidence so it was no great surprise that when Tony Burke showed his trickery, he was met with little resistance. His shot lacked power, but was placed well enough to beat the keeper and go in off the post. 3-0 with just eleven minutes on the clock: Club historian Neil Harvey was already interrogating his personal database to find out City’s biggest ever league win.
A thumping header by Lee Chaffey from Cambridge’s corner was well saved by Draper when it looked to be going in for City’s fourth. Further efforts were creating and in truth, any of them could have found the net. John Kennedy’s well weighted ball found Hammond who couldn’t quite strike his effort cleanly on 24 minutes. Ashley Fuller had a low drive blocked on 25 and Chaffey’s first time volley was well blocked for a corner on 26.
It seems churlish to complain about poor officiating when the result was already decided but it was clear that the referee and his assistants weren’t working as a team. Marginal off-sides have to be accepted and tolerated, but when a player has his shirt pulled back, as Kolodynski did on 32 and 34 minutes, right under the nose of the assistant referee it makes you wonder what the purpose of the assistant is.
Tiverton weren’t able to offer much in terms of attacking options, their best chance falling on 31 minutes when a glancing header from a corner went wide. Other than that, nothing.
Meanwhile, Nicell decided that three goals wasn’t enough and set about scoring a fourth, more or less of his own making. Collecting the ball in the centre left of the midfield, he set off on a direct run into the Tiverton defence. Supported by his forwards who made runs that opened up space for him, he dribbled forward, saw the shot was on and unleashed a beauty that left Draper for dead.
Almost on the whistle, Fuller sent in another shot that tested Draper, the keeper having to parry rather than catch.
Not surprisingly, City couldn’t continue the same tempo in the second half and credit to Tiverton who tightened up at the back and played with greater tenacity in midfield.
But even with the visitors’ extra resolve, plenty of opportunities fell City’s way. Between the 48th and 60h minutes Fuller thrashed one wide, Hammond charged down a clearance but dragged his shot wide, Kennedy thrashed over from a corner, Nicell lifted one over the bar, Hammond pulled another wide and Fuller finished his shift with another scorching shot that went just past the post.
In the middle of all this, Liam Ellis struck the bar, Dave Hambley driving the rebound straight into Barrett’s midriff.
With a four goal lead, manager Gary Roberts was able to introduce the full compliment of subs, bring on Declan Rogers for Fuller on the hour and Milton Elenge and Neil Midgley for Cambridge and Hammond five minutes later. The new midfield soon gelled, Elenge providing a cross just inches from Midgley’s head on 72 and the same two combining on 82, only for Midgley to see his effort snaffled up at the last second.
Rogers had two efforts in quick order, the first on 84 when his shot had Draper diving and seconds later when his effort whistled inches over.
Finally City added their fifth. Only Joey Abbs will be able to say if his shot was either an act of delicate genius or a fluke, but when he shaped to cross from the edge of the area he certainly fooled Draper into thinking the ball was to be aimed at Midgley et al. In the event, the ball was subtly chipped into the net, to the surprise and delight of everyone. Apart from the Tiverton defence, who by this point had had more than enough.
A thumping, emphatic win which hoists City to the top of the table on goal difference. If you don’t visit Milton Road often, get down next week and enjoy following a team that plays with terrific spirit and self-belief. At the moment, they are a joy to watch.
