Saturday, August 16, 2003

THEY say never look a gift horse in the mouth and none come much bigger than Havant down to 10 men after 25 minutes.

Gareth Hall's dismissal for a cynical foul on Leon Kelly with the visitors a goal to the good gave City a man advantage but despite squaring the match shortly after the break, City failed to press home their one man advantage.

Maybe John Barton's team had been hung out to dry 24 hours earlier when star winger Adam Wilde, their most potent weapon, twisted his ankle hanging out the washing.

Either way his team-mates missed Wilde's pace and trickery and a stubborn Havant clung on for a point despite being on the back foot for most of the second half.

A lively start to the match took a turn for the worse for City when John Snape, normally so precise in the tackle, chopped down Bobby Howe to concede a 14th minute penalty. Chukki Eribenne stepped up to score.

Last year's Golden Boot winner James Taylor could have doubled the lead in the 19th minute, pouncing on a poor pass from Dan Jones to skip through but Danny McDonnell reacted sharply.

Kelly had only passed a late fitness test and he was City's biggest threat. In the fourth minute he muscled clear to flash a shot just wide and seven minutes later, released by Adam Webster's looped pass, beat keeper Gareth Howells to the ball but his goalbound effort was hacked off the line by Hall.

City, initially shaky at the back, were in their stride going forward and were agonisingly close to equalising in the 24th minute when Mark Owen was denied from two yards after another Kelly effort had been thwarted on the goalline by Alec Masson.

A minute later Kelly once again breached the Hawks' defence but this time Hawks' skipper Hall, short on pace, hauled down the striker to earn a straight red.

Owen wasted the free kick and another effort when Darren Middleton teed him up nicely 10 minutes later but with time to spare his right foot shot was saved by Howells.

Tempo and tempers soared in equal measure after Hall's red card and Jon Holloway clashed with Hawks boss Liam Daish in unseemly fashion. Just before the break the combustible Neil Davis, booked for a nasty challenge on Snape, was hauled off for an early bath by Daish.

The half-time whistle brought a City revamp to a 3-4-3 line-up, with Stewart Hadley replacing Jones.

It paid immediate dividends when Middleton threaded Owen through who unselfishly squared for Kelly to spear his shot into the corner from close range.

City gathered momentum but couldn't muster clear cut opportunities. Kelly wriggled free in the 58th minute but with Hadley well-positioned he elected to go solo and found the side-netting from a tight angle.

Middleton went close with a free kick but too many hopeful long balls and scant width left City disjointed. Webster impressive down the right in the first half hardly saw the ball in the second though still went close with a glancing header and fierce volley two minutes from time.

A tense final 10 minutes almost brought disaster for City when Dean Blake ghosted into the area in the 83rd minute but with the goal gaping found the side-netting. It was a let off but the warning was not heeded and four minutes later Holloway had to be alert to deny Howe from six yards.

McDonnell 7: Smart save to deny Taylor, reassuring presence.

Davies 6: Couple of good blocks, not too much offered offensively.

Jones 3: Sloppy in possession, out-muscled in the challenge. Bad day at the office (Hadley 46, 5) some neat touches but didn't threaten enough .

Holloway 8: Typically competitive, even managed set-to with Daish on sidelines. (Parker 90).

Woolley 7: Won some good headers at both ends.

Snape 7: Conceded penalty but after slow start his influence grew.

Counsell 5: Chased hard but too many stray passes.

Webster 7: Excellent first half, could have won it late on.

Owen 6: Set up goal but spurned two good chances.

Kelly 8: Scored and could have had hat-trick. Constant threat with pace and directness.

Middleton 5: Hand in goal, did better when moved in the middle but typical mixed bag.

Subs not used: Hayes, McDonald, Smith.

Goalscorers: Eribenne 14 (0-1), Kelly 49 (1-1).

Cards: Havant; red; Hall (foul), Howe (kicking ball away), Davis (foul).

Attendance: 1,014,

Referee: Mr D. Brockwell (Northampton)

Havant: Howells, Ford, Poate, Davis (Champion 45), Hall, Masson, Blake, Eribenne, Howe, Taylor (Town 46), Skelton.