After back to back wins City faltered as they served up a lacklustre 0-0 draw at bottom side Northwich Victoria. Although eventually carving out marginally the better chances this was a display as disjointed and without rhythm, as Tuesday's 4-2 win against Salisbury had been the opposite. "A clean sheet and one point are about all we can take from this," said a realistic Paul Tisdale post match. "We didn't play close enough to how we aspire and, considering we were playing a side that had not won at home this season we didn't start well enough." This was more surprising given that City had kept the same starting eleven that had played on Tuesday: Marriott, Richardson, Matt Taylor, Edwards, Friend, Elam, Cozic, Gill, Moxey, Stansfield, Logan. The bench stayed the same too: Jones, Tully, Mackie, Basham, Carlisle.
The difficultyCity found in getting into the game was clear from the outset. Missed tackles, being dispossessed in their own half and never seeming to quite see the right pass at the right time meant possession was being squandered far too regularly. When they did get forward there was a sense that nothing was quite going to fall for them or that there would be a creative spark to unlock a stubborn Vics defence.
But just as much as City failed to force a save from debutant Scott Tynan in the home goal, so Marriott didn't have a great deal more to do at the other end. His twelfth minute save after Gill had been robbed of the ball 30 yards out was his only real one of the first half. Northwich were largely trying to build play through their midfield bringing their wingers into play with nice hold up play from Lee Steele. When City tried similar tactics more often than not the ball was slightly miscontrolled or a pass misplaced and promising opportunities lost.
The good work City did manage to put in through the first half came down their flanks too. The first sight of goal came Elam's way quarter of an hour in as he flung himself at a cross from Friend after good set up play from Logan. But, under pressure he was unable to keep his header under the bar. Elam was again involved minutes later. He played a low ball towards Stansfield in the area, he stepped over the pass in an attempt to fool the defence but Logan was just a yard too far behind him to take advantage and the danger was cleared. Unfortunately, the next time Elam did anything of note was to find himself cautioned. A late challenge as Northwich put a number of passes together at least showed a desire to harry and hassle the opposition.
In the final fifteen minutes of the half City forced a couple of corners, once through neat interchange between Moxey and Friend with the latter's cross cleared, and from a speculative 60 yard punt from Edwards. Taylor could not quite climb high enough to direct his header on target at the far post. Moxey also had a volley blocked at source as did Logan with a 25 yard effort.
The half ended as Northwich forced a corner but could only slice wide as the ball was half cleared.
At half time the North Devon Grecians' bucket made an appearance with the collection immediately being donated to the Vics Supporters' Trust. As messages of good luck and thanks were exchanged between the sets of fans the teams emerged unchanged for the second period.
City certainly began with greater purpose and within ten minutes of the restart should have been ahead. Gill broke from half way into space and fed Elam on the right side of the area. The swiftness of the attack had caught Northwich short at the back and seeing Stansfield in the area ahead of the defence Elam laid the ball across. Whether or not the ball was behind him, or he didn't feel confident enough to strike it first time, Stansfield took a touch and then tried to play it under the advancing keeper from 8 yards out. But in a split second Tynan had narrowed the angle and the chance went begging.
On the hour Tisdale introduce Mackie for Moxey as City strived to find the drive and urgency that had been missing. This was after Edwards had lost the ball on halfway but Northwich could only muster a shot over Marriott's bar. But City weren't holding on to the ball enough to use the pace of Mackie and Stansfield to any effect and it was a full ten minutes later that any threat to Tynan came again. Mackie had received the ball down the left from Friend who then continued his run inside towards the area. Mackie fed the ball back to him but his shot was saved at the near post. Moments later a Stansfield shot was also blocked at the same spot.
But Northwich were also beginning to threaten more too. Maylett, who had been sent on in place of another debutant, Danny Williams, hit a 20 yard shot that Marriott got down at his near post to save and Matt Taylor sliced a cross behind for a corner after neat build up play on the Northwich right. In between these efforts Elam had been replaced by Carlisle for the final fifteen minutes. It was in this period that City came closest to scoring. A break from half way saw the ball end up at Carlisle on the right. His cross seemed accurate enough but summing up an off day Logan swung but the ball ran under his foot and away. A battling Cozic then forced the referee to book Northwich's Townson, but City gained the lead in the booking stakes as Taylor flew into a tackle and clattered man and ball. The resulting free kick was headed softly over and a following corner was wasted with a shot over the bar.
The final three minutes saw City's most productive phase. Cozic, Carlisle and Logan fed Stansfield but again his cross evaded Logan who had run into the area. Carlisle's cross a minute later ended with the same outcome. With a minute of added time left City forced a corner after a long throw was put behind. Gill floated it to the far post where Taylor rose magnificently to plant a header beyond Tynan. But the Northwich rearguard was on hand to hack the ball off the line. To be fair, if City had scored it would have been more than they deserved after serving up little in terms of excitement and quality through out the game. Northwich had probably played the prettier football but themselves could muster no great cutting edge. For those watching the live broadcast on Setanta it must have seemed as lacking in excitement as it was for the City faithful amongst the 1061 present.
Tisdale added to his analysis "We were good and solid at the back and the midfield showed a great work rate. But going forward and up front we lacked punch and purpose. We have to be honest that we need to play better."
The next chance to do so will be on Saturday at home against Rushden and Diamonds. The intrigue is provided by the return to SJP of Jon Challinor, the hope provided by the fact that City have had back to back home wins and should be confident of making it 3 in a row. With the Trust AGM before the game it will be a full day of activity at the Park so get yourself down there, have your say, and make yourself heard.
