Blue
Square Premier - 8th December 2007
At Stonebridge Road - Att 933
Report
Another good away performance from City saw them take the points
from a wet and wild Gravesend. City were dominant almost from
first to last, though it's not like City to make things so straightforward.
Even this British Airways performance had it's Ryanair moments.
City started brightly with Onome
Sodje testing Lance Cronin in the Ebbsfleet net after some
good work from Manny
Panther and David
McGurk's overhead kick flew just over the top after Cronin
came for a corner but got nowhere near it. For all the pressure,
it would take 25 minutes for it bear fruit. Mark
Robinson - a revelation in Colin
Walker's 3-5-2 system - saw his shot diverted for a corner
which was only half cleared. Martyn
Woolford had a second effort at swinging it in and Sodje
got up above the defence to fire a powerful downward header
into the corner of the net for 1-0. Craig
Farrell could have doubled the lead on a couple of occasions
before the break. Sodje and Woolford combined to set him free
down the middle, but Cronin saved well with his legs and, in
the last minute of the half, he lobbed Cronin when one-on-one
only to see the ball land softly on the roof of the net.
Ebbsfleet did have their chances. Around the half hour mark,
a fierce dipping drive from wide on the right brought the best
out of Tom Evans while
Stacy Long saw a shot blocked by Darren Kelly and Fleet had
the better of the early exchanges after the break. However,
they couldn't work Evans enough and paid for their profligacy
five minutes into the stanza. Robinson's through ball set Sodje
free, but Cronin should have had it covered as he raced from
his area. He took a mighty swing at the ball but found only
air, allowing Sodje a free run to the goal. Surely he must score?!
No. The ball hit the foot of the post, but it broke free to
the supporting Woolford who hammered it home from close range.
Like Weymouth a fortnight before, going 2-0 up seemed to spark
Fleet into life. That or City switched off and invited pressure
- it's often difficult to determine the difference. Raphael
Nade - a bit of a handful up front - headed wide from a corner
and George Purcell had two good efforts in quick succession,
shooting across the face and driving into the side netting.
33 minutes into the half, the continued pressure brought the
goal Fleet deserved as Nade nodded it down to Chris McPhee on
the edge of the box and he unleashed an unstoppable rising shot
into the top corner of the net.
Walker's response was to bring on Nicky
Wroe and switch to a flat back four, though this was compromised
after a goalmouth melee saw Robinson stay down. Eventually a
stretcher was called for and he was carried off, clearly in
a large amount of discomfort. Initial reports suggest a broken
leg, but x-rays on Sunday should clear it up. It would be a
real shame for Robinson to miss a few months as he's revelled
in his new role as a wing-back, but it would give others a chance
- most notably Anthony
Lloyd.
Fleet were undeterred and could have squared things off in the
dying moments. A contentious free-kick was awarded in their
favour and it was taken short. The eventual shot was deflected
and turned into the net in something of a goalmouth scramble
and the Fleet players wheeled away celebrating the equaliser.
The linesman, however, had his flag raised and, after a lengthy
chat, the referee ordered a free-kick to City for offside much
to the chagrin of the players and home support. Moments later,
as Walker was attempting to bring on Paul
Brayson, the referee blew for full-time and the hardy band
of away supporters among the 933 attendees (only 933? Where
were the 23,000 new owners?) - who had been rained on, blown
to bits and all sorts as the inclement weather rolled in up
the Thames estuary - went into rapture.
Another good away day then. Every player stood up and was counted.
It's to be hoped that Mark Robinson is OK and that the leg is
just badly bruised as he has been a stand-out lately. Onome
Sodje worked ever so hard all day and richly deserved his goal
while the defence worked manfully with all three centre halves
playing well and Ben
Purkiss on the right having a superb game. The enigma that
remains is how to translate these away days into home form.
Perhaps playing in yellow and blue is the answer. It may be
the only thing left to try.
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