Haughmond (H)

[zeke]

0-0 HT
Like am extended version of Mastermind. 45 minutes and no passes.

[zeke]

It's taken an hour for City to wake up but 2 quick goals from Hughes has done the trick.

[genghis]

Really felt like I was watching a Sunday league game at times today with the tackling. There seems to be a lot of players in this league with poor discipline.

Hughes put in another good performance today. I criticised him last month but he’s been winning me over since. Maybe he does have it in him to finish one more season?

It was a strange game today though. It’s the only City game i’ve been to this season where I felt the defenders outperformed the strikers. Not the most interesting game i’ve seen either, but i’ll take anything that helps us to get out of this division.

Edit - Forgot to say, Gwynne had a great game.

[The sound and the fury]

Only Smith and Hughes were on their game today, in all honesty Gwynne could have brought a deckchair for most of the game but he did what he needed to when called on. Quietest we've seen Tomkinson so far, Birley and Hayward were frequently wayward with their passing, and Thomas had an absolutely shocking first half. The enigma is Baldwin though. Is he thick? Clearly doesn't have a football brain as he's back on his heels when he needs to be sharp, and he's got the composure of porridge when he has a goal scoring opportunity. He's got loads of flair though and created both goals, if only he could play for even most of a game rather than a few seconds here and there we'd have a useful player on our hands. Young Ethan did well when he came on, some good touches, but I think the debut overawed the other youngster a bit. And Josh, where do we start with Josh? Needs some smelling salts and to man up! All in all a workmanlike three points but a million miles from championship credentials. Without Danks, Reyno and Birch though it was always going to be a challenge.

[bj]

Our second goal came from a powerful defensive header out of our box by Hughsey which set up a counter attack, finished off superbly by ---- Hughsey. Fantastic work ethic and stamina for a 'veteran' to go from box to box in the last quarter of a game. I also thought Tyler had a cracking second half. But the first hour was painful.

[auldreekie]

Nov 4, 2017 20:40:57 GMT bj said:

Our second goal came from a powerful defensive header out of our box by Hughsey which set up a counter attack, finished off superbly by ---- Hughsey. Fantastic work ethic and stamina for a 'veteran' to go from box to box in the last quarter of a game.

It is an achievement to maintain that level of fitness into his forties. Today I was watching a player who was celebrating his 43rd birthday and had also played at a much higher level in his prime. What impressed me was his speed of thought, appetite for the ball and the time he appeared to have compared with the other 21 players. In the first 30 minutes he created three or four openings in a very even match. I do not think he mis-placed a pass or lost possession all afternoon.

[thesecondjack]

For me possibly the least interesting half of the season so far, with the quality showing very rarely. Haughmond sat back and tried to frustrate City, doing so well, as a good number of the fans around me were certainly frustrated!

Second half I thought a sucker punch was coming, but glad to be proven wrong by Hughes who worked tirelessly all game, not only for his goals, but also when he moved out wide, dragging a player or two with him to open gaps for others to get a chance from. Baldwin is a bit of a mystery, but surely made a good case for a starting spot today - I think his last start was against Littleton where Hughes post match criticised his performances when starting a match, so glad he got 2 assists in a game where he was the main focus of City chances.

The youngsters didn't look too out of place, and I'll defend Mat Birley who according to the WN was a doubt pre match - a few stray passes certainly, but put a shift in and I thought offered a few nice flicks to create chances at times.

All in all, 3 points in a game where two youngsters make a debut, and 3 first teamers out of action are 3 points to be glad with. Especially as Bromsgrove lost, closing the gap at the top.

[Tim Munslow]

Clean sheet, two goals and three points: it'll do me. Especially with Bromsgrove's defeat to our opponents for the next two Saturdays.

Baldwin had the best game I've seen him have and I agree with the comment about Ethan Moran (who is he? academy setup?) who I thought looked very promising.

I think the club should get a medical opinion on Josh Sarmento; that's the third time I've seen him throw-up during a match. Is it a medical problem, a nervous problem or what? Does he eat too much before a match? Or perhaps not eat at all before a match? There's clearly something wrong and it should be sorted out for the lad's welfare.

[leon]

Jack O'Donnell scored a first half hat-trick for the under 21's in the morning then makes first team debut in the afternoon. Surely a first for the club?

[rob]

I agree with Tim about Josh. He went down from a challenge early on and it looked like a leg injury but he continued. But he pulled up again soon after unwell and the ref looked concerned enough the second time he was bent double unwell to let the bench know just before he was subbed

[jupu]

Nov 6, 2017 20:25:55 GMT leon said:

Jack O'Donnell scored a first half hat-trick for the under 21's in the morning then makes first team debut in the afternoon. Surely a first for the club?

It probably is a first but then again we've only had an Under 21s side since August 2017. I don't personally understand why we have a team in this age bracket. If the majority of players are 19 or 20 surely they should be ready for MFL Premier football?