City to hold Meet the Manager evening (31/10/16)
City will be holding a Meet the Manager evening with Gary Owers in Charlie’s at Twerton Park on Friday 4 November. The event starts at 7pm, the bar will be open and all supporters are welcome.
Battling City come up short in Fleet defeat (29/10/16)
A deflected first half goal and a second half penalty miss saw City narrowly beaten by Ebbsfleet United at Stonebridge Road this afternoon. The home side started the game on the front foot and on 10 minutes came close to taking the lead when Winfield headed a free-kick against the bar. Just as City looked to have stemmed this early tide, beginning to create several openings of their own, they fell behind on 26 minutes in unlucky fashion. The ball broke to Deering just inside the City box but his shot looked to be of little danger to Max O’Leary before a deflection off George Rigg sent it looping into the opposite corner of the net. O’Leary then produced an excellent stop from McQueen’s header to deny Ebbsfleet a second goal. Within four minutes of the restart City were gifted a great chance to level when Andy Watkins got goalside of Cook before being pulled to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot but Marvin Morgan saw his kick well saved by Ashmore, although the keeper had come forward several feet off his line before the kick was taken. The hosts looked to take advantage of this further good fortune but couldn’t find a second goal and as the game reached it’s final stages began to appear increasingly nervous with City pressing them back. It was Ashmore who ensured they held on to the narrow lead, tipping a Naby Diallo effot wide and getting down to Manny Monthe’s low shot that would have just crept inside the post. Even when he spilled Ryan Broom’s shot he recovered to fall on the loose ball before Nick McCootie could turn it home. A goalmouth scramble that wouldn’t fall to a black and white shirt and several great blocks by Fleet defenders also keep City at bay and they were almost caught on the break in the closing minutes only for Deering to delay his shot after Bubb looked to have set up for a tap in. City couldn’t punish them for this miss though as they failed to create another chance in the remaining minutes.
Bowman makes Chippenham Town switch (28/10/16)
Defender Dan Bowman has left the club to sign for Chippenham Town. We would like to thank Dan for his time at the Club and wish him well for the future.
City slip to late Dartford defeat (22/10/16)
A rare moment of quality in an otherwise mistake-ridden game saw City slip to a single goal defeat against Dartford at Twerton Park this afternoon. After a nasty early challenge by Brown on Ryan Broom – the Dartford no.6 lucky to only receive a yellow card – and an early chance for Nick McCootie, that he lifted over the bar, the game was largely characterised by errors from both sides. A poor touch by Manny Monthe on 15 minutes let Pugh in but he somehow failed to set up Acheampong for a tap-in. Chas Hemmings then gave the ball away deep in his half but Brown’s tame shot was straight at Max O’Leary. As the two teams continued to give possession away with ease chances did fall at both ends of the pitch but a lack of quality there as well meant the game reached the break goalless. There was little improvement after the interval, in fact even the half-chances began to dry up, Pugh volleying wide for the Darts and Broom shooting straight at Ibrahim. Mcootie attempted a spectacular overhead kick on 67 minutes but failed to made any contact, with rather summed up the game to that point. However, with 10 minutes left O’Leary produced a stunning one handed save from Brown’s thumping header and then two minutes later the visitors took the lead. The ball found its way to Wanadio and his curling shot found the net beyond the desperate dive of O’Leary. City threw Hemmings forward in a desperate attempt to rescue something from the game and a minute into stoppage time they should have levelled when Broom’s cross reached an unmarked George Rigg at the back post only for his shot to find the side netting.
Fleetwood makes Weymouth loan switch (21/10/16)
City striker Stuart Fleetwood has joined Southern League side Weymouth on a month loan deal.
City tamed by Tigers in FA Youth Cup defeat (19/10/16)
City’s U18s missed out on a FA Youth Cup 1st Round appearance this evening when they were beaten 2-0 by Gloucester City at Twerton Park. After a promising start to the game by City, Jannea only being denied a goal by a great last ditch tackle, the Tigers began to take control of the game. They took the lead through Beasley’s 19th minute header and only a couple of excellent saves by Forster keeper the deficit to one goal at the interval. However, within three minutes of the restart Beasley netted his and Gloucester’s second with a curling shot. Just before this City had almost levelled the scores when Hamblett’s free-kick came back off the bar but this turned out to be as close as they would come to scoring, despite pushing the visitors back as the game progressed. Billy Clark’s side are back in South West Counties Youth League action on Saturday when they travel to Bridgwater Town.
Date for Gloucester FA Youth Cup tie (13/10/16)
City’s U18 side go looking for a place in the 1st Round proper of the FA Youth Cup at Twerton Park next Wednesday 19 October when they face Gloucester City in the 3rd Qualifying Round tie. The game kicks off at 7.45pm and admission is £2 for adults and £1 for U16s.
City fail to build on early goal in Boro draw (8/10/16)
City and Eastbourne Borough shared the points in a 1-1 draw in front of over 1100 fans at Twerton Park this afternoon. Both goals came in the opening seven minutes and it wasn’t until the closing stages that either side would come close to adding to those early strikes. With just three minutes on the clock a Naby Diallo cross was allowed to reach Ryan Broom at the far post and the loanee netted with his very first touch for the club. The lead only lasted four minutes though when a mix-up between Jack Batten and Max O’Leary gave Romain a simple chance to level the scores. The rest of the half was a forgettable affair with neither side creating a chance of note. The second half showed little early improvement, although the introduction of Marvin Morgan around the hour mark did pep up City’s attacking threat. A weaving run ended with City’s top scorer stabbing a shot into the side-netting before he set up Nick McCootie to fire over the bar. The visitors had shown little up front but twice in quick succession in the closing quarter of the game they forced smart blocks from O’Leary, First, he smothered Taylor low shot then denied the same player when his acrobatic effort looked to be creeping just inside the post. City almost grabbed the three points late on when Boro keeper Carey spilled Morgan’s shot under pressure from McCootie. It broke back to Morgan but he could only steer his shot a yard wide of the goal.
City’s U18 side have been drawn at home to Gloucester City in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup. The date of the tie will be confirmed shortly. And Billy Clark’s side are in action at Twerton Park this coming Saturday (15/10) when they take on Newport County (ko 10.30am).
City take a new Broom to boost squad (7/10/16)
City have signed right-sided midfielder Ryan Broom on loan from Bristol Rovers. The 20-year old, who played for the Pirates against City in pre-season, goes straight into the squad to face Eastbourne Borough at Twerton Park tomorrow.
U18s enjoy another big FA Youth Cup win (6/10/16)
City’s U18 side progressed into the final Qualifying Round of this season’s FA Youth Cup with another comprehensive victory this evening. Having beaten Bishops Sutton 9-0 in the previous round they scored seven without reply at Yate Town. Goals from Bennington-Mannings, Christofides and Janneh (2) put them 4-0 up at half-time before Drew, Pruett and Alchin added to scoreline after the interval. News on who City draw in the 3rd Qualifying Round will appear on the website in due course.
City crash out FA Cup in penalty shoot-out (4/10/16)
City’s hopes of a long FA Cup run disappeared this evening at Twerton Park as they lost on penalties to Potters Bar Town in a 3rd Qualifying Round Replay. The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and when neither side could find another goal in extra-time it edown to a penalty shoot-out. Both sides netted three of their first four efforts – Marvin Morgan, Frankie Artus and Jack Batten successful for the Romans with Lee Marshall having his kick saved. Bennett then put the visitors 4-3 up and when Chas Hemmings saw his shot saved by Constable it meant Potters Bar had secured a trip to Chesham United in the next round. In truth, the game should never have gone that far as City dominated from the first kick but failed to take advantage of the numerous chances they created. They had already hit the bar twice before Billy Murphy’s low shot made it 1-0 on 19 minutes. A second goal would surely have put City in total control but it wouldn’t come and in the final five minutes of the half they suffered a double blow. First Potters Bar, from their first effort on goal, levelled with Murray calming slotting the ball past Max O’Leary despite Artus clearly being fouled in the build-up to the goal. Then Andy Watkins, who had been at the centre of nearly all City’s good work, limped off with a recurrance of his calf injury. The Southern League side enjoyed their best spell of the game at the start of the second period, O’Leary producing a fine save from a Murray free-kick, but normal service was soon resumed. However, time and again they failed to get their efforts on target and when they did Constable was equal to the threat. And even when he flapped at a last minute corner a defender was on hand to clear the ball off the line. Into extra-time and the keeper had another lucky escape when a deflected George Rigg cross looped onto the bar before bouncing to safety but then he produced a fine block from a Morgan shot. By then Potters Bar were clearly looking to hold out for penalties and, despite several more promising positions for City, that’s where the game headed and ten minutes later it was the Scholars who were celebrating.
City’s trip to Wealdstone has been rearranged for Monday 14 November (ko 7.45pm) with the Stones still in the FA Cup.
And City’s U18 League Cup tie at home to Bristol Academy this Saturday will be played at Bath University (ko 10.30am).
Replay winners to face Chesham United trip (3/10/16)
The draw for the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup have given either City or Potters Bar Town a trip to Chesham United.
And in the Somerset Premier Cup 2nd Round City have been drawn at home to Wellington. The tie will be played week commencing 7 November.
Lacklustre City draw Potters Bar Cup blank (1/10/16)
City and Potters Bar Town will have to meet again at Twerton Park on Tuesday evening following a surprisingly low-key FA Cup goalless draw between the sides in Hertfordshire this afternoon. After controlling the opening 20 minutes City almost fell behind to the home side’s first attack, Max O’Leary saving Casey’s shot with his feet. Potters Bar grew in confidence after this but neither side could create more than a couple of half chances – Stuart Fleetwod producing City’s best with a well-struck effort that keeper Constable parried away. The second half followed a similar pattern as City struggled to find any rhythm to their play, Potters Bar pressing them into mistakes and winning the majority of 50/50 challenges. Openings did continue to fall to both sides but neither keeper was really stretched and 0-0 final scoreline summed up the game perfectly. The replay with take place at Twerton Park on Tuesday 4 October (ko 7.45pm).
Admission prices for the replay are: Adults £10, Over 65 £8, Students £5, U16 £2.
Forest Green Rovers have recalled defender Harry Hickford from his loan deal with City.