City 0 - 0 Brightlingsea Regent

Brightlingsea Regent were the opponents for the Lilywhites in the most recent Isthmian League North division fixture. City were coming into the match on a 10-game unbeaten run, although the 8 match winning streak ended with the 1-1 draw with Essex side Stanway Rovers last Saturday.

Brightlingsea were supposed to be in action on Tuesday night, vs Takeley, but the match succumbed to the weather and had to be postponed. Therefore, the previous match for The R's was a 2-2 draw with Tilbury.

Brightlingsea were themselves on a 7 match unbeaten run, but it was City who very nearly netted within the first minute. Solomon Ofori was sent through  to the near post and Luke Avenell had to be sharp to keep the ball out.

After 6 minutes, City had another chance for the lead. Coming from a throw, a wide ball came to Ali Njie, with the defender volleying a speculative effort wide.

City had another go after 9 minutes, Callum Taylor's throw found Ofori. The following pass was picked up by Codey Cosgrave, but the shot curled just wide of the post.

Brightlingsea finally woke up after the first 10 minutes, and Giani Ashley had to be alert to keep out Jake Clowsley, when he bombed down the left-hand side. Then Harry Mcdonald found himself bearing down on goal, only for Randell to perform a goal-saving challenge.

Cosgrave was next on the list for a City chance. The midfielder actually started the move when he found Ofori. Shaun Mavididi was allowed to get a cross, in which Cosgrave had the opportunity to finish, but he couldn't find the touch that he wanted and the prospect of a goal was lost.

Once again, it was City on the charge. Mavididi, again, ran down on the left and the cross was aimed at Ofori, the striker slid in to win the ball, but missed, and Avenell picked up the pieces.

With 27 minutes on the clock, another chance went begging for City. Cosgrave was influential again, Ofori then gave to Quevin Castro, and the shot went wide after another positive passage of play.

Mavididi and Ofori were involved again in a potential goal movement. Mavididi ran down on the left and Ofori very nearly caught Avenell off guard at the near post; the Brightlingsea defenders then scrambled the ball away.

After a City throw led to Randell's flick-on being cleared off the line, a Brightlingsea corner at the other end found the head of Charlie Durling, but the captain's header soared wide of the post.

At the other end came a little bit of controversy. As the Lilywhites had a corner, Idreess Namisi slid in on Callum Taylor, and appeared to catch the City man aggressively. Taylor had to be subbed of for George Smith and Namisi escaped unpunished, with referee Jonathan Lam not even awarding a free-kick.

With the end of the first half looming, ex-Lilywhite Shane Temple played Ola Bello through. Sam Coombes came in to block the Regent forward, Durling then picked up the ball but his effort was blasted over.

Clowsley then crossed for a teammate, and Coombes was almost the unfortunate one when the ball very nearly rebounded off him an into the net, but James Philp kept it out.

Bello then almost found himself on his own in front of goal, only for Ashley to come in a deny the attacker. Then a pass from Durling allowed Temple in, with Jayden Randell thwarting the ex City man with a stunning last ditch tackle. Clowsley then fired wide.

The second half didn't have quite the same active impact as the first, although it did start with a yellow card for Michael Okafor, who tripped Jack Thompson in the early knockings of the second half.

A City corner came next which Smith got a head to, but the header sailed wide. Following from the corner came another chance, another corner was punched away by Avenell, then Njie's cross found Smith and the header flew wide again.

After Mcdonald took a shot that Philp saved, a Brightlingsea free-kick led to a shot from Temple being kept out by Philp again. Then Mcdonald and Clowsley worked in tandem to find another opening; Njie came in with another decisive challenge.

City had a few more chances to come next. The first one came from a corner that was initially cleared, then Cosgrave had an effort that was picked up by Avenell. Mavididi then ran through, and crossed to Thompson, the chance then fell to Smith, who shot wide after 70 minutes played.

Brightlingsea then came on the right, with Bello eventually winning a corner kick. The corner was arrowed into a prime position, but was headed wide.

With 78 minutes played, Brightlingsea came forward again, with the cross coming towards Daniel Rowe. The following shot was skied. Another long ball from Leo Robertson found Bello, but the resulting cross went straight through with no touches.

Brightlingsea had conceded late on against Tilbury in their last match on Saturday, in the 93^rd minute, and it almost happened again. Cosgrave sent in Ofori, and Smith came in to meet the ball, with Namisi defending well to keep the score at 0-0.

After a final chance for Brightlingsea was blocked, referee Jonathan Lam drew the match to a close, with City and Brightlingsea sharing the spoils.

In a week that saw Mickey Spillane sign a 3-year contract, the result wasn't what was wanted, although the unbeaten run stretched to 11. A goalless draw also meant that City picked up their fifth match in a row at home without conceding, Felixstowe & Walton United the last team to net at the FWD-IP Community stadium. City will return to Sawston when they face March Town United in the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup semi-final match on Tuesday night.

Connor Taylor-Creek