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City beat league leaders

- 06/03/2010

Stansfeld 0 City 3

After twenty minutes against the league leaders City's fans had already come to the conclusion that a goalless draw would be an achievement. Stansfeld looked stronger, better organised in the middle of the park and somehow a more mature team. Then City scored and that maturity was proved to be more to do with many of the opposition being older rather than grown up.

Not only did Stansfeld have two players sent off in the closing stages but they gave away an own goal. City had taken a couple of chances and clung on to their advantage with a tenacity that was rewarded by moving up into fifth place in the league. Stansfeld were not knocked off the top but might reflect on the perils that ill-discipline can bring. Not to put too finer point on it, they were the most foul-mouthed side City have played in three seasons.

One of the ironies was that Stansfeld's captain, Neil Thurgood, was head and broad shoulders above any other player in the game yet gave away the sixty eighth minute own goal that finally led to his side losing all discipline. City kept theirs despite considerable provocation.

All that said, this was a match that had the quality of one much higher in the football pyramid. Stansfeld began with the assurance expected of a side comfortably ahead in the division. City were again forced to make team changes. Rob Storrie, who made such an positive debut the previous Saturday had suffered a broken arm during the week. Manager Dave Fairclough went out and obtained former Hythe midfield player Barney Beaney, who made a solid first appearance, but captain Luke Lockhart was not available and with Wayne Fittall and Dave Read also still out, the attack yet again relied heavily on Royston Gough.

The opening twenty minutes brought no indication of the outcome. City were constantly struggling to contain Stansfeld's impressive midfield work and thankful that their finishing was not as formidable. Paul Hyde, in the City goal, had to cope with a couple of their more dangerous attempts and there was a worry when Sam Baker was injured in one of the scrambles to clear the lines. He recovered to become a pivotal defensive strength, along with Ian Hossick and Nick Lingham.

Craig Southern attempted to move forward to support Gough but it was not easy. Meanwhile the referee took a lenient line on a couple of tackles that City felt were a bit over the top in both senses. More Stansfeld shots crossed in front of the City goal, and they would pay heavily for their inaccuracy.

City took the lead in the thirty-fourth minute when Liam Whiting first cracked the ball against the post and, after Stansfeld attempted to clear, headed in from the ensuing corner. Stansfeld reacted with yet another shot that sped close to the far post. But by then there had been signs that their discipline and organisation was fragmenting.

City brought on Scott Lawford for the second half, adding width and imagination, which had been lacking. Whiting took a more advanced role. It was Lawford who created City's second goal with a superb pass forwards to Gough. Stansfeld’s 'keeper thought he had it covered but Gough was too quick for him and slammed the ball into an empty net.

Luke Jackson was brought on in midfield, adding to City's growing control in that area, but by then Stansfeld were not helping themselves and became victims of their own frustration. Even so there had to be a tiny bit of sympathy for the otherwise outstanding Thurgood when he turned the ball into his own net while not under any great pressure.

City might well have added two more goals but Gough and Whiting were both denied by the Stansfeld 'keeper. And though Hyde did have to make a fine 80th minute save, by then City were playing down the clock while Stansfeld were bickering with the referee, resulting in two of their number being sent off.

CITY: Hyde; I. Hossick, Seager, Lingham, Baker, Minshull (L. Jackson), J. Smith (Lawford), Southern (White), Gough, Beaney, Whiting.