So on a freezing cold afternoon at the Park when temperatures struggled to even single figures, an impressively hardy 2151 brave supporters saw one of the best displays of both skilful and workmanlike football seen at home in a long while with City consummately dispatching Salisbury 3-0 to progress to the second round of this year's FA Trophy. City lined up: Jones; Edwards, Seaborne, Matt Taylor, Tully; Moxey. Gill, Andy Taylor, Carlisle; Mackie, Logan.

 

It was City who made their intentions known early on with a series of quickfire raids into the Salisbury half. As early as the first minute Matt Taylor headed on a Gill long throw to Deano at the far post, but unfortunately he screwed his good looking drive wide of the near post.

 

Barely had the 'oohs' subsided than City were in front though. A booming clearance was chased by Mackie who burst through two defenders to beat the keeper to the ball. The situation looked lost as the defenders converged, but showing great composure Mackie bought the ball back and in a single move turned, looked up, and despatched the deftest of cheeky 30 yard chips into the middle of an empty net to make it 1-0 to City.

 

After five minutes a sweeping City move from defence saw Mackie drive a glorious cross field ball into the path of Logan, but as Logan shaped to shoot a defender saved his defence's blushes by stealing the ball from Logan's toe. Logan was again involved five minutes later flicking on a ball deep in his own half to the charging Wayno bursting through for a two on two with Mackie, but his through ball was ever so slightly overhit and thus cleared before Mackie could reach it.

 

Five minutes further on again and Mackie had yet another chance, barrelling down on a whumping Edwards clearance. This time after jinking left and right to lose persistent defenders, the keeper got down well to block Mackie's near post drive. Mackie was unstoppable and midway through the half really should have got the second that his tormenting of the Salisbury defence so deserved. This time another long clearance was for once won by a Salisbury defender, but Mackie anticipated the header back and stole the ball from in between the defender and keeper. He hit the ball a little too firmly though in stealing in and couldn't direct his shot on target form a ridiculously tight angle.

 

Straight away Salisbury finally realised that there are two ends to a football pitch and for the first time in the game Paul Jones was called into action swatting away a ferocious drive from the corner of the penalty area with some authority.

 

But it was with a sense of inevitability that a second goal would come, such was the dominance of City's play. On the half hour, the hard working Deano chased down a hopeful punt towards the corner flag. The keeper looked to have it covered all the way, but Deano was having none of it and charged down the keeper's attempted clearance. A tad fortunate with a double ricochet, Deano took full advantage curling right footed into the top right hand corner of the net from the ludicrous position of five yards in from the corner flag with a finish of some quality to make it 2-0 to City, and to all intents game over.

 

A couple of minutes later Deano nearly added a third. Advancing purposefully down the middle of the pitch, Mackie was begging for the ball to be played through, but although the ball never came, Mackie's position ensured defenders kept backing off to cover. Once in range Deano let fly with a ripping dipping 25 yarder that a shell shocked keeper did well to palm over for a corner.

The half was drawing to a close but the action remained intense. Good work from Mackie harassing defenders meant a clearance was hurried and only lumped as far as the lurking Deano, but unfortunately his quick smash was dragged narrowly wide of the near post.

 

The 40th minute saw the final action of a pulsating half, and probably the best move of the game. Logan flicked the ball on to Wayno down the right. His glorious deep cross found Deano stationed midway inside the penalty area, where he guided a header into the path of the rushing Mackie. Sadly for Mackie his outstretched leg was half an inch too short to connect with the ball and it bounced harmlessly past the far post.

 

Soon enough it was time for the second half, and after ten minutes it looked like business as usual when a wonderful display of close controlled passing down the right between Tully, Wayno and Mackie saw Mackie slide the ball in to the unmarked Logan waiting on the penalty spot. Somehow Logan contrived to bounce the ball off his shin instead of controlling and both he and the crowd gasped in despair as the chance for a certain third goal was gone in an instant.

 

After twenty minutes City did have the ball in the net, but sadly for Mackie the linesman's flag had been raised and the referee's whistle blown long before as Mackie was deservedly pulled back for offside. With a busy Christmas period approaching, manager Tisdale rested Edwards and Logan and introduced Elam and Basham in their stead, with Deano dropping back to full back to cover Edward's withdrawal with Elam taking Deano's left midfield spot. A couple of minutes later subs both were involved when Basham collected a long clearance to set up Elam, who rather spoilt the move somewhat by blasting wastefully high onto the Bank.

 

But with ten minutes to go, Salisbury's stubborn second half resistance was finally broken when City scored their third. Deano knocked the ball down into the path of Mackie who burst into the box between two lumbering defenders. His progress was unceremoniously halted by the leg of one of the defenders clipping him as he sped past, sending him crashing to the turf.

 

Up stepped Bash to confidently stroke the penalty down the middle at face height to give City a comfortable 3-0 victory. To rapturous, and fully deserved, applause, man of the match Mackie was then given the final ten minutes off as Stansfield was introduced.

 

The game ended with City inevitably on top, and it was nearly a fourth goal when a deep Gill free kick from 40 yards out narrowly evaded the lunging bonce of Matt Taylor at the far post.

 

But what a game, especially in the first half. The football was, at times, simply breathtaking. Salisbury never got a look in during the first half, it was all City. The second half was a little more disjointed and frantic at times, but the defence never really looked troubled and the strikers always looked like causing endless trouble.

 

In goal, thanks to the near complete dominance of Matt Taylor and Seaborne, Jones had an easy game. Two confident stops apart, he was rarely troubled. His handling was impeccable, and he made collecting the ball look the simplest job in the world.

 

The defence looked equally assured, and as well as the two centre backs played, it must have been reassuring to have the experienced head of Rob Edwards alongside to offer guidance when needed.

 

In midfield it was good to see Andy Taylor back on home turf again after a lengthy lay off, and his tenacity allowed Gill to pass at leisure. But the star of the show in midfield once again was Deano, and his clever goal was testament to his hard work during not only this game but the season as a whole.

 

Up front we must have a strike force as good as any in this division with Logan on 12 goals from 15 starts this season and Mackie now just one behind having scored in eight of the last nine games. Speaking of scoring, bedroom antics tonight for either of them will be the least they deserve for their efforts today and in recent weeks!

 

But enough nonsense, back to the real world. This is the second game on the bounce that we've scored three without conceding, and it finally looks like it's all coming together and that the Burton result really was a blip. The next action at the Park is on Friday night when we entertain Ebbsfleet in the ill-conceived Setanta Shield, then it's the biggest game of the season so far when near neighbours and fellow promotion hopefuls Torquay visit a hopefully packed to the rafters Park before Histon visit three days later. A couple of days after that we're off down the road on New Year's Day to visit Torquay then we've a bit of a breather before our second round FA Trophy game.

 

Busy times ahead then, with games coming thick and fast over the next couple of weeks, and if you were unsure about the Torquay game on Boxing Day then surely today's performance must have convinced you to get a ticket before they sell out. But why not come and see the warm up match on Friday night? There might not be the same importance attached to it, but the Ebbsfleet game is the last chance to cheer the boys on before Christmas.

 

So we'll see you there then, and again against Torquay and again again against Histon. Dig deep my friends, you know it'll be worth it.