So on a sunny yet chilly afternoon at the Park, a hastily rearranged fixture against promotion rivals Stevenage goes the same way as the FA Cup game a couple of months ago with City running out impressive 4-0 winners in front of a delighted 3436 supporters. City lined up: Marriott; Edwards, Seaborne, Matt Taylor, Tully; Moxey, Andy Taylor, Gill, Carlisle; Basham, Stansfield.
The opening exchanges were a fairly even affair as both sides sought to feel each out and ease their way into a game vital to both sides. It was, however, City who soon gained the upper hand, and from about the tenth minute onwards never looked back.
On twelve minutes Wayno and Stansfield combined well on the edge of the box for Wayno to send a sighter over the angle of post and bar from about twelve yards. Three minutes later Stansfield won a knock down deep in the Stevenage half before playing the ball to Basham. Bash looked up and launched a speculative 45 yard dipping shot high over the bar after spotting the keeper off his line.
On twenty minutes a Deano corner was lost in a huge goal mouth scramble before finding its way to Wayno ten yards out. Unfortunately the ball wouldn't come down quickly enough and under pressure from the defence he hoicked the ball over the bar. A minute later good work form Stans and Bash saw the ball into the box where it was only partially cleared to the lurking Andy Taylor who's ten yard smash was deflected off the back of a desperate defender's leg. From the resulting corner Seaborne rose majestically to glance a good looking header narrowly wide of the far post.
After some torrid City pressure, it was inevitable that Stevenage would eventually capitulate, and in the 22nd minute the breakthrough eventually came. First off Wayno charged down the right before drilling a low cross into the box to Stans. He in turn fed Deano who's firm drive through a crowd cannoned back off the base of the post. The move wasn't over though, as Edwards collect the loose ball and lofted it back in where Matt Taylor rose unchallenged to butt home with some authority high into the net from eight yards out to make it 1-0 to City. A couple of minutes later Deano drove down the left before cutting the ball into Bash, but his 25 yard dipping drive was palmed around the post for a corner.
But all that did was spur City on, and just after the half hour mark City doubled their lead. The move started with the most outrageous backheel from Wayno to set Tully scampering down the right. He crossed to Stan who crossed further to Deano at the far post. His strong drive was expertly parried by the keeper, but only into the path of the lurking Basham who had the simplest task of steering the ball into an empty net from a mere six yards to make it now 2-0 to City.
Five minutes later 2-0 became 3-0. With the Stevenage right back hopelessly out of tune with his team mates, he stayed back whilst the other three defenders pushed up thus leaving Stansfield in acres of space and a good three or four yards onside. A sharp ball over the top caught the hapless defender napping and Stans drove forwards oozing confidence and skill. With some aplomb he fizzed the ball past the hopelessly stranded keeper low into the far corner to put City 3-0 up and entirely deservedly so.
In the 40th minute three so nearly became four when a defender played a suicidally short backpass that Stan latched onto in a flash. Fortunately for Stevenage the keeper was alert even if the rest of his defence wasn't, and he narrowed the angle well before smothering Stan's low drive.
But the entertainment didn't stop with the half time whistle. The team to do the crossbar challenge were missing a couple of players so the warming up subs were invited to have a go. Elam missed by a country mile, Friend's effort sailed over the bar, but to tumultuous applause Logan smacked the bar fair and square before being mobbed on the floor by Elam and Grecian the Lion!!
Soon enough it was time for the proper action to start and thus the second half was soon underway. It only took five minutes before City signalled their intent to increase their goal tally when some sharp work down the left from Deano and Edwards saw Bash eventually curl the ball round a gaggle of defenders from the edge of the box, but sadly it curled just past the far post too.
However, as sure as night follows day, City soon notched their fourth in the tenth minute. Wayno exchanged quickfire first time passes with Tully, Gill and Andy Taylor down the right as the ball zig zagged between them leaving defenders mesmerised. Finally, having effortlessly bypassed the Stevenage rearguard, Wayno burst into the box before playing the ball to Stansfield on the penalty spot who guided the ball under the advancing keeper and into the net for the goal of the season - and one of the best goals ever seen at the Park - and a richly deserved 4-0 scoreline to City.
The one black spot of the afternoon was in the 19th minute when Matt Taylor was withdrawn for Elam, presumably feeling the effects of two games in a week after a lengthy injury spell. Three minutes later Stan was flattened on the edge of the box centrally, and up stepped Wayno to plant a low drive toward the bottom corner that the keeper got across well to save.
On the half hour the superb Bash was rested and Logan invited to chance his arm in his stead. With his very first touch he so nearly made it five when he stooped low to butt a dangerous Stansfield cross just over the bar.
With ten minutes remaining Cozic was introduced to give Stansfield a well deserved rest, and the substitutions forced a bit of a mini shuffle, with Deano dropping to left back, Edwards moving to the middle to replace Matt Taylor and Elam partnering Logan up front with Bertie covering Deano's wide left spot.
It made little difference as City continued their onslaught, although ironically it was Stevenage who had the next chance. Their first - and only - shot on target of the whole afternoon came with five minutes remaining when a Stevenage forward let fly from 30 yards that Marriott acrobatically tipped over for an ineffective corner.
There was one more bit of action to follow, and this came as the fourth official signalled a further four minutes of misery for Stevenage. Another backpass was played woefully short and Elam nipped in to collect out wide on the left. He played the ball into Logan where his ferocious daisycutter was blocked by the keeper's legs.
And so that was that, 4-0, same as the cup game, and this time even easier and more convincing than the cup game. This was as good a win and as complete a performance since relegation, and Stevenage - at the time sitting pretty in third spot in the table - were simply ripped apart. Apparently we had 14 goal chances in the first half - Stevenage had one all game, and that with five minutes to go. If you weren't there today, you missed and absolute treat, and you missed what team work, dedication, determination and skilful football is all about. And this, in no small part, is down to the ethos and tactics of manager Paul Tisdale.
Of the team Marriott had possible the easiest afternoon since he turned out for his local under eights side, as the defence were simply impassable in front of him. Especially impressive is the young age the centre backs bring, with both Matt Taylor and Danny Seaborne both in their early twenties. Of course it helps having an experienced head in the shape of Edwards alongside, but between them the two in the middle were just magnificent.
Equally adept in their positions were the central midfield pairing of Andy Taylor and Matt Gill - one full of tigerish tenacity, the other guile and elegance. Out wide willing runners were to be found in Deano down the left and Wayno down the right, giving one of the best displays of his City career.
And then there's the two up front. Jamie who? you might ask, and watching the electric running of Stansfield and the skill and craft of Basham, you'd think these two had partnered for half a dozen seasons at least.
And so we move on, a point away from Cambridge in fifth spot, and a mere two wins behind today's opponents. That's four home wins on the bounce now, and only a single defeat in the last nine league games anywhere since the 4-1 capitulation at home to Burton in mid November.
Whisper it quietly, but that's promotion form in anyone's books, and the play-offs are there for the taking. Sandwiched between tricky always at Ebsfleet and Grays, we have a home game against Woking a week on Tuesday. Given the feast served up today, surely you won't be passing on the coffee and mints on offer for that one, will you? Nah, didn't think so - we're on a roll right now, so come on down and join in the fun. I mean, you can't tell me you've got better things to do, can you?
