Bideford 3 Winchester City 3
Not one for the faint hearted. First leg. Twice Winchester City gave away a two-goal lead, then finished hanging on for a draw. For the neutral; excellent entertainment. The start for City was excellent. Three minutes played Matthew Bicknell and Danny Smith combined with the latter sliding the ball through to Andrew Forbes who coolly slipped a shot wide of Bideford goalkeeper Ryan Draper and into the net to put City ahead.
City were well on top and the home side had difficulties it appeared in coping with the fluent City moves. Ian Mancey tamely headed a Lloyd Webber cross into the arms of Draper on twenty minutes then two minutes later Mancey, Webber and Smith set up Bicknell who shot just wide of the target.
The home crowd were somewhat subdued but sprung into life on twenty-six minutes when Bideford first chance with a Robert Gough header went just over the bar from a free kick. On the half hour a lofted pass from Forbes fell for Webber but his effort was blocked as Bideford were settling more into the game. Gough saw a shot from the edge of the box saved by Simon Arthur then Gough with a long-range effort also saw Arthur gather the ball. With five minutes to go to the interval Webbers pass into the path of Shaun Dyke saw Dyke shrug off a defender but his shot was saved by the foot of Draper.
Two minutes before the interval and a Dyke cross to the far post saw Bicknell fire over then on the stroke of half time Gary Green set off on a thirty yard run. With the Bideford defence opening up in front of him, Green strolled into the area where he laid the ball back to Mancey who shot the ball home to give City a two-goal lead.
In stoppage time though Bideford pulled a goal back, Owen Pickard shot from outside the area took a wicked deflection off Gary Green which totally beat Arthur and City’s two goal cushion had been halved.
Bideford started the second half with a certain amount of pressure, Gough brought a good save from Arthur within thirty seconds of the restart but on forty nine minutes City were celebrating again. Forbes passed to Smith; Smith laid the ball off for Mancey to fire high into the net and restore City’s two-goal lead. Five minutes later Forbes cut in from the left and shot but his effort was saved by Draper.
On the hour and City were pulled back again. Webber and Arthur conceded a corner between them when trying to clear the ball from the danger area. From the corner City never fully cleared and substitute Leon Hapgood sent another cross into the area where Ellis Laight headed home.
Three minutes later Bicknells free kick from the edge of the Bideford box, saw Forbes turn the ball just wide as City looked for an immediate response. Sixty-six minutes and a City corner saw the ball fall for Gary Green to place a rising shot into the roof of the Bideford net but the effort was disallowed for an earlier infringement. For City fans this is the point where the afternoon turned against them.
Seventy-one minutes Forbes was helped from the pitch with a muscle injury to be replaced by Steve Tate. Seventy four minutes Smith received a nasty cut to the head which saw him leave the field to have his head bandaged before he returned later having stitches. Seventy-six minutes referee dismissed Gary Green from the field of play for dissent to leave City battling out the remaining minutes with ten men. Within a minute of Greens departure Laight set the ball up for Gough to fire home the Bideford equaliser.
Bideford pressed for a winner. A low shot from Shane Powell was saved by Arthur, then Hapgood and Gough combined for Gough to produce another effort on target where again Arthur saved. The game ended with both sides looking for an all important fourth goal. The match ended all square from a highly enjoyable football match where both sides attacked with little respect for either defence.
City : Arthur, Dyke (Lang 80), Bicknell (L Green 88), Hall, Redwood, Blake, Webber, G Green Mancey, Forbes (Tate 71), Smith Unused subs Goss, Rastall
Not one for the faint hearted. First leg. Twice Winchester City gave away a two-goal lead, then finished hanging on for a draw. For the neutral; excellent entertainment. The start for City was excellent. Three minutes played Matthew Bicknell and Danny Smith combined with the latter sliding the ball through to Andrew Forbes who coolly slipped a shot wide of Bideford goalkeeper Ryan Draper and into the net to put City ahead.
City were well on top and the home side had difficulties it appeared in coping with the fluent City moves. Ian Mancey tamely headed a Lloyd Webber cross into the arms of Draper on twenty minutes then two minutes later Mancey, Webber and Smith set up Bicknell who shot just wide of the target.
The home crowd were somewhat subdued but sprung into life on twenty-six minutes when Bideford first chance with a Robert Gough header went just over the bar from a free kick. On the half hour a lofted pass from Forbes fell for Webber but his effort was blocked as Bideford were settling more into the game. Gough saw a shot from the edge of the box saved by Simon Arthur then Gough with a long-range effort also saw Arthur gather the ball. With five minutes to go to the interval Webbers pass into the path of Shaun Dyke saw Dyke shrug off a defender but his shot was saved by the foot of Draper.
Two minutes before the interval and a Dyke cross to the far post saw Bicknell fire over then on the stroke of half time Gary Green set off on a thirty yard run. With the Bideford defence opening up in front of him, Green strolled into the area where he laid the ball back to Mancey who shot the ball home to give City a two-goal lead.
In stoppage time though Bideford pulled a goal back, Owen Pickard shot from outside the area took a wicked deflection off Gary Green which totally beat Arthur and City’s two goal cushion had been halved.
Bideford started the second half with a certain amount of pressure, Gough brought a good save from Arthur within thirty seconds of the restart but on forty nine minutes City were celebrating again. Forbes passed to Smith; Smith laid the ball off for Mancey to fire high into the net and restore City’s two-goal lead. Five minutes later Forbes cut in from the left and shot but his effort was saved by Draper.
On the hour and City were pulled back again. Webber and Arthur conceded a corner between them when trying to clear the ball from the danger area. From the corner City never fully cleared and substitute Leon Hapgood sent another cross into the area where Ellis Laight headed home.
Three minutes later Bicknells free kick from the edge of the Bideford box, saw Forbes turn the ball just wide as City looked for an immediate response. Sixty-six minutes and a City corner saw the ball fall for Gary Green to place a rising shot into the roof of the Bideford net but the effort was disallowed for an earlier infringement. For City fans this is the point where the afternoon turned against them.
Seventy-one minutes Forbes was helped from the pitch with a muscle injury to be replaced by Steve Tate. Seventy four minutes Smith received a nasty cut to the head which saw him leave the field to have his head bandaged before he returned later having stitches. Seventy-six minutes referee dismissed Gary Green from the field of play for dissent to leave City battling out the remaining minutes with ten men. Within a minute of Greens departure Laight set the ball up for Gough to fire home the Bideford equaliser.
Bideford pressed for a winner. A low shot from Shane Powell was saved by Arthur, then Hapgood and Gough combined for Gough to produce another effort on target where again Arthur saved. The game ended with both sides looking for an all important fourth goal. The match ended all square from a highly enjoyable football match where both sides attacked with little respect for either defence.
City : Arthur, Dyke (Lang 80), Bicknell (L Green 88), Hall, Redwood, Blake, Webber, G Green Mancey, Forbes (Tate 71), Smith Unused subs Goss, Rastall
Document last updated: 07/06/2007
