So on a surprisingly mild afternoon at the Park, City turn on the style and continue their recent goal goal fest with an unexpectedly easy 4-0 demolition of Stevenage Borough in front of a healthy 3513 supporters. City lined up: Marriott; Friend, Edwards, Matt Taylor; Moxey, Gill, Cozic, Carlisle; Basham, Mackie.
The game started at a stuttering pace as both sides sought to work each other out and ease their way in. It was, however, City who made the first real chance in the 12th minute when a long ball forward found Basham on the edge of the box with his back to goal. Expertly he played the ball right to Wayno rushing in from deep, but his fierce drive was unfortunately blocked for a corner.
After 15 minutes further City pressure saw the ball looped into the box when Deano rose to launch a spectacular, if ultimately ineffective, overhead kick that the keeper comfortably gathered. But this was merely signalling the inevitable, and on 18 minutes City took a deserved lead. A long Gill throw in from the left touchline found it's way to Wayno lurking deep at the edge of the six yard box. This time he made no mistake crashing a thumping shot past the keeper and just inside the post to make it 1-0 to City.
City continued to press, although it has to be said without really troubling the Stevenage defence as midfields' cancelled each other out, and it was fitting that it was City who created the next chance of note on the half hour. Gill patrolling centrally invited Rico to gallop down the right touchline before lifting an audacious chip to the far post from 25 yards that narrowly beat the angle of post and bar.
But on 40 minutes City's efforts were rewarded with a goal entirely of the opposition's doing. Deano and Mackie took turns chasing defenders trying to play the ball about amongst themselves when eventually one of them made the mistake and hopelessly underhit a suicidal back pass that never had a hope of reaching the keeper. Mackie nipped in quickest and calmly tapped home into an empty net from about ten yards out to make it 2-0.
It was very nearly three on the final whistle of the half when a huge punt upfield was chased by Mackie. His twisted and turned his way towards goal before finally crashing a spectacular drive across goal and narrowly the wrong side of the far post.
Soon enough it was time for the second half, and once again it was City who made the early running, continuing where they left off in the first. However, as with the second goal, City's third was entirely of Stevenage's doing. Good persistence from Basham saw him rob a dallying defender midway inside the Stevenage half. He immediately set off at a pace towards goal with three frantic defenders in hot pursuit. Eventually one stuck out a leg to end the run, but he missed the ball hopelessly and only succeeded in bringing Bash down a yard inside the box. Bash remained unfazed though, and picked himself up and composed himself sufficiently enough to coolly despatch the resultant penalty hard and low into the corner to the keeper's right in front of a delerious Big Bank and make it 3-0.
Five minutes later Stevenage's humiliation was complete when City scored a fourth with the best goal of the game. Gill had a free kick just in front of the old Grandstand that was played to Deano further down the left touchline. Showing a deft touch he volleyed it inside to Friend charging towards the goal line who in turn looked up and stood the ball up to penalty spot where Matt Taylor was waiting to scoop the ball into the top corner and become the fourth player to notch in consecutive games.
On 25 minutes, their work done, Mackie and Basham left to rapturous applause to be replaced by Logan and Stansfield, then five minutes later Elam was given a run out at the expense of the impressive Moxey. But City weren't content to leave it there as Matt Taylor almost scored a second for the second week running rising highest to glance a powerful header inches wide from a Wayno free kick.
Fittingly it was City who had the final chance of a surprisingly one sided contest with two minutes to go. Good work from Gill laid the foundations for Wayno to send a deep cross to the far post where Elam stole in to butt narrowly wide.
And so that's twelve goals scored in the last three games now, and three very impressive wins, especially against tricky FA Cup opponents. Despite a slow start, City eventually got to grips with the game and tore Stevenage apart at will and with ease.
In goal Marriott was a virtual spectator, bar one sharp stop that in reality was little more than regulation. But his lack of action was due to the dominant performances of what's fast becoming a formidable central defensive partnership in Taylor and Edwards. And in Taylor especially we have a player who knows where the goal is too, scoring his third goal in two games and looking a real threat from every corner and free kick in and around the box. The full backs played their parts too, with both stopping any supply from the flanks, and both getting forward at every opportunity to support the midfield.
Speaking of which, it has to be said that in my opinion Matt Gill had one of his best games of the season so far, and was very close to being back to his imperious best. He was ably supported by the hard working Cozic, fearless in the tackle and unflustered under pressure. Out wide it was just rewards for Carlisle's recent return to the team that he opened the scoring, and he had a fine game patrolling the right flank. On the other side of the pitch Deano is having the season of his life, and his resurgence is surely one of the highlights of the season.
And then we come to the two front men. Explosive, electric and fleet of foot as well as mind, the lumbering Stevenage defence didn't know how to handle either of them. Bash's intelligent link up play compliments perfectly Mackie's blistering acceleration and energy. Bash too showed a turn of speed rarely seen before, and if you combine that with the terrifying pace of Stansfield and inate ability to find the net from Logan, it's a fearsom front four that we have at the club, and the sort of selection dilemma any manager dreams of in trying to perm two from four in attack.
And here we are now in round two of the FA Cup, a game scheduled to take place ironically on the day that Stevenage were due to visit for the league game on 1st December. Before that though we're back at the Park once again next weekend to face Burton, themselves 4-0 Cup winners today. After that there's trips to Histon and Halifax before minor cup games give us time to prepare for the visit of near neighbours Torquay on Boxing Day. A busy old time then coming up, but equally an exciting one, and given recent results there's no reason to fear anyone or to think we can't continue this excellent run we find ourselves in the middle of right now.
So naturally we'll see you all back at the Park next weekend, plus you'll be bring someone with you too packing the place to the rafters. The boys are doing it on the pitch, the fans at the game are doing it in the stands, so why not come along and join in the fun? No reason at all, is there, so we'll see you back here next Saturday for the Burton game. Won't we?
