Patched up City lack bite in Tigers defeat

A stoppage time free kick from Jack Compton was not enough to prevent City falling to a 2-1 defeat to Gloucester City at The Spiers & Hartwell Jubilee Stadium this afternoon. With four players missing through injury – meaning they could only name two outfield players on the bench – it was a disjointed performance from City, although they did control the early stages of the game. Nat Jarvis failed to get a shot off when clear on goal in the opening minutes and Jamie Lucas shot straight at keeper Hadler and then had two efforts charged down. Just past the midpoint of the half though Gloucester scored from their first attempt on goal, Parker driving the ball home from Williams’ hooked cross. The hosts began to dictate the match’s rhythm after this and were only denied a second goal on the stroke of half-time by a great interception by Miles Welch-Hayes. However, they only had to wait nine minutes after the break to make it 2-0 when the Romans gave the ball away in midfield and ex-City triallist Kotwica slotted past Luke Southwood. Nick McCootie and Marvin Morgan were introduced moments later and City began to ask more questions of the Tigers, although they were not helped by the hard uneven pitch. Compton saw one free-kick clip the outside of a post and then forced a full-stretch save from Hadler. Morgan and McCootie also saw efforts go close before Compton found the net from 25-yards as the game entered stoppage time. A burst forward from Welch-Hayes almost saw him grab a last-gasp equaliser but the danger was cleared leaving City to head back down the M5 pointless.