So, slightly less full of Christmas cheer (I was driving) we arrived, full of not much hope and little expectation (as I had seen the previous few games). Being a Cherry, you learn not to expect too much. As a result you will rarely be disappointed, or surprised come to that. There may be the odd moments of tease, where you think something good is about too happen only for your ill placed optimism to be ripped from you and stamped on, destroying
all hope. After all it is the hope that kills you!
Normal service was on offer with some optimism, joy, only to have if all crushed before leaving in the usual state of ‘Oh well!!'.
At Gillingham a few weeks earlier we battled hard, got into the lead only to carelessly let it all slip in the final seconds. Bristol City was different, we went in to bigger lead! Only to give it away at the end.
Darren Anderton was missing from the line-up due to being sent off in the previous match. Call me an old synic, but shades of Alex Watson many years ago, getting dismissed and missing a Boxing Day away fixture?
Good old (one out of two aint bad) Marcus Browning was back in the midfield, adding some defensive cohesiveness to shield the back four. The city fans didn?t react well to the announcement of his name. Probably as he had played for Rovers and conveniently forgetting that he is a Bristol city supporter (more of him later). Broadhurst paired up with Young in the centre of defence as tactical mastermind Kevin bond persisted with the pairing that had been so awful for the past few matched. I assume he was thinking that ay some point they must have a good match and now was as good a time as any.
Hayter was restored to a more forward role to partner Pitman was showing signs that he could be a player at this level.
A lively start from Bournemouth saw a few hefty challenges going in and Hayter hitting the deck on several occasions. It was one of the less convincing falls which eventually drew a free kick from the ref (he of choosing not to see handballs at Yeovil). After the wall had been theatrically marched beck the 10 yards the kick deflected out to pitman who was to the right hand side of the area, level with the penalty spot. He controlled well and slid the ball across Adriano Basso and in. Nice finish, taken calmly. Perhaps he does have a future as previously I had not been of the belief that he would make it at this level.
City huffed and puffed a lot. They are a bit creaky at the back (similar to Nottingham Forrest), solid but slow. For the rest of the half the pace of Pitman and the midfield breaks of Gillett, caused problems for city and despite a couple of nerve jangling moments we played well, were professional and looked comfortable.
Being a goal down and not playing well to a side that City manager Gary Johnson had described as one that should give them a ‘comfortable' win, we can all imagine how the teamtalk went in the City changing room as I for one expected a bit of an onslaught at the start of the second half. Well before the onslaught had even started we were two goals up. Goal machine, Marcus Browning nipped in to nudge the ball home after Basso had got his new Teflon coated gloves to a right wing cross from Gillett. Appears the day for presents in
brazil is Boxing day.
It was all going so well, two up away from home, about to get our second away win of 2006 (calendar year). Yep, it was all going so well. It after all, is the hope that kills you. City then started to play a bit. Being two up we allowed them more space. Gowling was not partnering Young at the back as Broadhurst had gone off with knock. As the half went on you did get the sense that city were getting more and more likely to score and that if they got one, a second would follow. Well they did get one, but just before that Sam Vokes has a glorious change to end the match when about 10 yards out he just couldn't get the ball out from under his feet and dragged a shot wide with the goal gaping. It would have been all over at that stage, but a long punt down the middle from Basso lead to Young and Gowling struggling and Scott Murray nipped in the fire beyond Moss, who was having an excellent match.
One lead to a second. As we were getting forced back and defending deeper and deeper a corner was not cleared, it bounced out to the edge of the area where the manager's son Lee Johnson returned it with the aid of a deflection just inside the right hand post of Moss. I waited for the third, but thankfully it never came. A match we should have won, and were in a wining position and only one point. At Gillingham we let anther two points slip out of our grasp and they will be costly at the final analysis.
Overall? Good performance, for 60 minutes but couldn't take the heat when city turned up.
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AFCB: Moss, Purches, Broadhurst, Young, Hart, Gillett, Cooper, Browning, Hollands, Pitman, Hayter
Subs: Stewart, Fletcher, Gowling (at HT for Broadhurst), Vokes (for Pitman, 64 mins), Connolly (for Gillett, 80)
Phil Henstridge, Banbury