Forthcoming Fixtures

Tranmere Rovers Offer No Bite

TRFC Reserves 0 - 2 MCFC Reserves

Two first half goals from David Ball ensured that City remained at the top of the Totesport reserve league as they made an easy job of defeating Tranmere Rovers this evening.

City came out of the blocks with real vigour as within the first minute Ian Daly had a decent strike on target and James Poole played a sweet ball through for David Ball to force a corner which resulted in an Adrian Cieslewicz shot that was deflected just wide of the goal.

City forced another save from Tranmere's trialist goalkeeper Andreas Arestidou when Cieslewicz and John Guidetti swapped passes before John released Ball and his shot was saved.

Looking at the team for the first twenty minutes was very pleasing as a City fan as there was real balance and often looked very disciplined as there were two banks of four lined up that Tranmere found difficult to get around.

Midway through the half City made their domination pay when Clayton McDonald played a long through ball for Guidetti to control and turn and play a ball that Ball was able to take into the area and play through the legs of Arestidou and into the back of the goal.

About ten minutes later City should have been two nil up when a corner was cleared to near the half way line and Cieslewicz controlled the ball well and passed to James Poole who played a well weighted looping ball back into the area and Guidetti layed it off to the unmarked McDonald with the goal and Arestidou in the way; but he shot wide.

As the half ended Jeremy Helan made a good run down the left and dispossessed the defender and forced Arestidou into a rash decision where he came out and did not get the ball and Helan evaded the challenges before he found Guidetti who then saw Ball available on the edge of the area and he put the ball into the back of the keeperless goal.

Just as City started the first half brightly Tranmere did the same in the second half when they forced play down the right before releasing a good cross at the far post but Ryan Fraughan could not keep his shot down.

Two minutes later and it was Cieslewicz who was giving the Tranmere defence a real headache as he took the ball from his own half and he danced all the way into the penalty area but unfortunately his final touch was slightly too heavy which gave Arestidou that chance to smother the ball.

Quarter of an hour later it was Helan's turn to make a driving run from the half way line but the defender did well to get back and get back to deny Jeremy's shot going on target.

Again it was City that were piling on the pressure when Guidetti played a very intricate one two with Poole as John's touch on into the area was sublime and left James free to shoot; but his finish was not as good as the build up as he shot just over.

Tranmere made a triple change and that seemed to give them some resolve as yet again Fraughan was at the forefront as he hit a great volley from twenty five yards that went agonisingly just wide of the goal for the home fans.

Helan made a nuisance of himself again with nearly ten minutes remaining and the ever lively Guidetti was on hand to fire in a shot that Arestidou warded off for a corner. Tom Smith hit the cross into the far post where Matthew Brown rose unchallenged but he hit his header straight onto the post and away.

City's final chance came with just two minutes remaining when Ball evaded close attentions of the defence as he pulled off them and turned well and played a defence splitting pass that Guidetti chased down and fired a strong shot across the face of goal that went just wide.

This result now leaves City three points clear of their league on thirty one points from thirteen games with five games remaining with two of those games against teams in the top half of the table.


Tranmere: Arestidou(GK), Holmes(Capt.), Corrigan, Denson, Waterfall, Baker(Gibbs 78), Mackreth, Fraughan, Macauley, Richardson(Power 78), Rule(Pursehouse 78).

Subs: Kennerdy(GK).


City: T Johansen(GK), Smith, Morris, Daly, Brown, McDonald(Capt.), Cieslewicz(Grandison 85), Poole, D Ball, Guidetti, Helan.

Subs: Dean(GK), Carter, Mitchell, Paris.


Att: Approx 100.