The City Open Forum

It's a weekend of cup football for our two teams.

The Women's team are away to Olveston in the Gordon Perrett League Cup ko 14.00 (BS32 4PH).  We got through to this round of the cup via a walk over v Cleeve back in January.  Our opponents also progressed thanks to a walkover; Abbeymead Rovers in their case.

Olveston as in the same Division as City and they are flying high.  They sit in 2nd spot with a record of 8 wins, 1 draw and 25 points.  That puts them 5 points behind the leaders, Pucklechurch with as game in hand and the fascinating prospect of finishing their league campaign with  an away game to Pucklechurch followed by....yes you've guessed it ...a home tie against Pucklechurch.  City have played Olveston away in the league way back in October where we lost 2-0.  If my memory is correct it was not played on our opponents usual pitch due to heavy rain but we played on an artificial surface which was very quick indeed.

Olveston come into this game having not played a league or cup game since mid November when they beat Longwell Green away.  Their 2 scheduled fixtures since, both v Abbeymead have been walkovers. 

There is no getting away from the fact that it's a tough draw for us and Sunday is going to be a challenge but as we've seen before resilience and determination is something we are not short of.  We were a lot closer to beating our opponents last time out than the score shows and as they say anything can happen in the cup.  We'll need to be at our very best but we can get through to the next round.  It's going to be a good game.  Katie and I hope to be there but have a visit to see our other team (the ones with 4 legs) over in Lambourn first so fingers crossed that the M4 is in a good mood!

Meanwhile over at NMP it's the Hereford FA County Cup with the Women's XI playing Hereford Pegasus ko 14.00.  It'll be another competitive match but we come into it off the back of a good win and performance against HSM.  If a trip to Brizzle does not float your boat then I am sure the players at NMP would very much welcome your support on Sunday.

Olveston 4 City 0.

As has been the case in a few games this season, the score line itself does not, imo, tell the whole story. Credit to our opponents who deserved the win and showed why they have an 8-1-0 record in the League. They are a talented and well organised side who took their chances well. However, looking across the game as a whole City had as much if not more of the possession and gave our opponents lots to think about. We created some good chances of our own and we really did deserve to get on the score sheet at least once if not more; the Olveston keeper just got the better of us today.

The team played well, right up to the final whistle on what was a biter cold, wet and windy match day. The League table shows that we are not quite up to the consistent standard of the top teams in the League but it does not show that we are closing the gap by degrees. They are a great bunch and it's a pleasure to watch them each week; even when your hands and feet go numb in the cold!

I believe the score at NMP was 0-7 with our Development League squad loosing out to a team who sit much higher in the pyramid and are having a very good season themselves.

Thanks as always Stable Lad for keeping us couch potatoes in touch. Frustrating not to at least to get a consolation goal but good to hear that progress is being sustained. Onwards and upwards!

To add some context our opponents last conceded a League goal in early November and last dropped a League point in late September