St Albans 3 Bath 2

That was hard to take. I really feel for the players. You can't fault them for effort but confidence is at rock bottom.
So so close to finally turning the corner though.

A 90th minute goal, a few minutes after Cody Cooke's penalty miss, condemned City to a desperately disappointing defeat in front of a large travelling support. After an all too predictable opening 20 minutes when City passed around the defensive third but failed to make any headway or create meaningful chances, it was the home team who who fashioned 2 goals from once again getting to City's byline and crossing for a tap in and a deflected 2nd. With the mood of the City support once again sensing another defeat, City finally managed to expose a home defence that never looked sound. First a brave Cooke header from a Dyer cross and then Fletcher pouncing on a loose ball from a Raynes long throw meant City had come back from 2 down to level in the final 5 mins before half time.

The 2nd half saw both sides initially sensing that the game was there for the taking before City took control with an intense, pressing game that saw them quicker, sharper and more confident than for some time. Free kicks, long throws, corners rained in on the home defence, with the home keeper saving long range shots and City unable to create the key chance. Then, with 5 mins remaining the ref awards City a pen for a handball and Cooke stepped up to blast it wide much to the City support dismay and disbelief. Then as if we knew it would happen the away team once again got to City's bye line crossed and won the game.

Make no mistake the early part of this game was same old City soft under belly City, but the strength to haul themselves back in to it, with the unrelenting City support loud and proud, and a 2nd half the likes we have not seen for some time meant we certainly deserved something out of this game. The applause from the City fans to the players at the end reflected that and hopefully they can take some confidence into the remaining games of the season.

Stand out player for me was Ryan Jones, very tricky, great commitment from a loanee, and seemed to be all over the pitch !

The game seemed to change when City changed their formation, soon after going 2-0 down, moving Joe Raynes from central defence to centre midfield and moving Ryan Jones and Jordan Dyer to full back (making a flat back four). And all done with a little note written by Jerry Gill and handed to Joe Raynes, who then gave the rest of the team their instructions, and, finally, tucked the note away in his sock. I guess that is how modern communication technology works.

We were all deflated by the final outcome, but the fact that none of those who were there drifted away at the end until they had given the players and staff a heartfelt round of applause showed how much we appreciated that performance.