Gloucester 2-1 Plymouth by Lou Reed
All days are good. And while Tony Hickey might opine that some are gooder than others, we know that’s not right. But some are definitely better. And this was one of them.
All began promisingly. The pitch was in fine fettle, the stadium completed in good time and tea & coffee sales moving along at a brisk pace. As was the home midfield of Clifford, Liggett, Jones and Blacker, who gave as good as they got throughout the first half against a skilful Plymouth side that moved the ball with both assurance and purpose.
Determined defending from Mclean and Lawson and a fine interception from Blackburn nullified the visitors’ neat approach play early on, while at the other end Martindale was forced to turn Liggett’s effort round the post following Blacker’s right wing cross, before repeating the trick to deny Blacker himself.
Blackburn’s free kick was well taken by the keeper and Joce headed Liggett’s free kick off the line before Plymouth broke quickly and Cooper found the bottom corner with a well taken strike six minutes before the break.
Martindale denied Smith an equaliser right on half time, but the city side continued to battle away after the break and levelled ten minutes in when Chamberlain released Blacker who powered past his marker before finishing well.
Lawson’s free kick went close to putting Gloucester ahead and the keeper then saved from Blacker, before Chamberlain’s audacious volley flew just over. Plymouth though also looked dangerous, Moroney twice doing well under pressure to hold efforts from Smith and Kingdom.
With eight minutes remaining though Gloucester notched the winner, Liggett feeding Blacker, who again held off his man before finding the bottom corner.
Back came Plymouth, but with Lynam providing both energy and resolve, Mclean an ability to instruct and organise, Lawson a Peter Kay-like ‘no nonsense’ approach and Moroney a safe pair of gloves, there was no way back for the Devonians.
Liggett, no quarter asked and none expected and Jones, predictably dependable, held the central area, while Chamberlain and Wilkes scampered to and fro, up left and down right, in and out. Blacker, all arms and legs, limbs pounding, the scourge of the greens.
A bench that had set up the win in part one – Blackburn, who read the game with aplomb throughout; Clifford, neat, tidy and unfailingly committed and Smith, galloping from one side to the other, no steed required.
For (the two) regular readers of this column, Dacorum (12.24) had provided the aperitif, but here was the main course. Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher (or Gordon Ramsey, who certainly wasn’t) once mused, ‘The most important thing about a special feast, is that it leaves you wanting more.’ And we do.
Gloucester A: Moroney; Blackburn, Mclean, Lawson; Blacker, Jones, Liggett, Clifford; Smith. Subs: Lynam, Chamberlain, Wilkes.
All began promisingly. The pitch was in fine fettle, the stadium completed in good time and tea & coffee sales moving along at a brisk pace. As was the home midfield of Clifford, Liggett, Jones and Blacker, who gave as good as they got throughout the first half against a skilful Plymouth side that moved the ball with both assurance and purpose.
Determined defending from Mclean and Lawson and a fine interception from Blackburn nullified the visitors’ neat approach play early on, while at the other end Martindale was forced to turn Liggett’s effort round the post following Blacker’s right wing cross, before repeating the trick to deny Blacker himself.
Blackburn’s free kick was well taken by the keeper and Joce headed Liggett’s free kick off the line before Plymouth broke quickly and Cooper found the bottom corner with a well taken strike six minutes before the break.
Martindale denied Smith an equaliser right on half time, but the city side continued to battle away after the break and levelled ten minutes in when Chamberlain released Blacker who powered past his marker before finishing well.
Lawson’s free kick went close to putting Gloucester ahead and the keeper then saved from Blacker, before Chamberlain’s audacious volley flew just over. Plymouth though also looked dangerous, Moroney twice doing well under pressure to hold efforts from Smith and Kingdom.
With eight minutes remaining though Gloucester notched the winner, Liggett feeding Blacker, who again held off his man before finding the bottom corner.
Back came Plymouth, but with Lynam providing both energy and resolve, Mclean an ability to instruct and organise, Lawson a Peter Kay-like ‘no nonsense’ approach and Moroney a safe pair of gloves, there was no way back for the Devonians.
Liggett, no quarter asked and none expected and Jones, predictably dependable, held the central area, while Chamberlain and Wilkes scampered to and fro, up left and down right, in and out. Blacker, all arms and legs, limbs pounding, the scourge of the greens.
A bench that had set up the win in part one – Blackburn, who read the game with aplomb throughout; Clifford, neat, tidy and unfailingly committed and Smith, galloping from one side to the other, no steed required.
For (the two) regular readers of this column, Dacorum (12.24) had provided the aperitif, but here was the main course. Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher (or Gordon Ramsey, who certainly wasn’t) once mused, ‘The most important thing about a special feast, is that it leaves you wanting more.’ And we do.
Gloucester A: Moroney; Blackburn, Mclean, Lawson; Blacker, Jones, Liggett, Clifford; Smith. Subs: Lynam, Chamberlain, Wilkes.
