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City Reserves improve

- 23/08/2009

Fielding three ex City players in the form of Rob Gutsell, Paul Barrett and Greg Wood and managed by former First Team Assistant Manager Gary Beckett, Lesters Elite, City Reserves' opposition for the day, brought along some familiar faces to Bridge for this pre-season game.

In the opening exchanges both sides failed to get to grips with the hard, arid surface which made playing the ball along the floor a tough task. Players were failing to control the ball which made for a scrappy game in the centre of the park.

City's first chance came after the Lester's keeper scuffed a clearance on the edge of his area. The ball fell to the feet of Dave Silman whose audacious 35 yard lob sailed inches over the bar. City's next chance fail to Joe Opoku, who from a tight angle drove a shot across the face of goal, which the opposition's keeper did well to palm around the post at full stretch.

Lesters then had an extended spell of pressure and saw two efforts hit wide when Matt Hewitt, in the City goal, should have really been tested. With only a few minutes remaining of the first half and Lesters still on top, City scored against the run of play. Dave Ogbonna played a neat one two with Silman before seeing the ball bounce up and hit a hand of a Lesters defender inside the area. The referee pointed to the spot and Chris Wicks stepped up and sent the opposition's keeper the wrong way.

The second half began with Lesters looking for an equalizer. They were gifted one when City's Under 18's keeper, James Mccrossan, who had replaced Hewitt at half time, mistakenly picked up the ball from a throw-on. Lesters were awarded an indirect free kick from eight yards out and the resulting strike was smashed into the far corner of the net with great power and accuracy to put the away team level.

Within minutes Lesters took the lead. A cross from the right found a striker at the back post who saw the ball come off his knee and nestle into the back of the net, albeit with a bit of fortune.

City had gone from a winning position to a losing position in the space of minutes but almost equalized when Wicks sent in a corner to the near post and Silman, who had got away from his marker, flicked the ball towards goal but saw his effort saved by the outstretched dive of the impressive Lesters keeper.

Silman was once again thwarted by the opposition's keeper when his free kick was tipped over when it was destined for the top corner. Dan Keyte had City's last effort of the game, shooting high and wide after showing some good footwork to come inside from the left.

All in all an improved performance from the Reserves, who apart from a goalkeeping error, matched Lesters, a team that surely will be contenders for the Canterbury and District Premier Division title this season.