City 2(Straker 5m pen, Smith 93m) v Chelmsford 0 full-time. Art 637

Line up which started v Barnet. Rovers loanees have gone back so only 4 on bench inc recalled Ollis.
City in front at half time, as always can we add the 2nd for more security?
Phew. Eventually.

Not one for the purists but for me one of our best performances of the season. My concern has always been our ability to battle it out against teams like Chelmsford, especially in the midfield. Today Tom Smith was much improved and Frankie Artus / Joe Raynes never flinched a challenge and were not intimidated by Chelmsford.
We were down to the very bare bones with only 4 subs, 2 youngsters with hardly any first team experience and 2 old pros with big question marks over their fitness. With respect our options for substitutions were virtually non existent so the starting 11 had to finish so long as they could still run.
At times we rode our luck but everyone gave their all and got the reward in the end.

Excellent summary, Steve. We've not done well against Chelmsford in recent matches so it was great to see our efforts rewarded with three points. And after Cundy's mistaken red card up there, it was good to get the rub of the green with that penalty decision. Something I pointed out to Mr Stringer in the car park when he asked me if I saw a foul!

comrade powell wrote:it was good to get the rub of the green with that penalty decision.

In my view, there was no 'rub of the green'. Stearn was shoved into the Bath end wall. Definitely a penalty.

Sir Ged Roddy wrote:

comrade powell wrote:it was good to get the rub of the green with that penalty decision.  

In my view, there was no 'rub of the green'.  Stearn was shoved into the Bath end wall. Definitely a penalty.

^This
Simultaneous push in the back and trip, just inside the corner of the box after the ball was played. Regardless of the covering defender blocking Stearn's cross out for a corner, a foul's a foul, and that was one. Stone waller, no luck about it.

Does your footage show strong appeals for a penalty from City players (or fans standing at that end?)
LB and Ashley - it must have happened right in front of you - what did you witness?

It looked like the defender gave Ross a push as he crossed the ball, we thought that the referee may have made his decision on the basis that Ross ended up in the wall behind the goal.