Rik Zapp's Chirpy Shrews

[Thracian]

Irrespressible D.J.Campbell and Rick Sappleton enabled 10-man City Reserves to recover a two goal deficit at Hinckley tonight which earned a rousing 2-2 draw against Shrewsbury Town Reserves when all had seemed lost.

Whatever Gerry Taggart and Steve Beaglehole said and did at half-time worked mighty magic because City went from sick to slick after an abysmal first half.

But for new centre-back Harry Worley it was a nightmare he'll want to forget. First he tried to block a cross from the right only for it to bounce up and hit his hand leaving David Hunt the simple task of despatching the resulting penalty.

Worley was again at fault for the visitors second goal when he ducked out of a challenge allowing Shrews striker Guy Madjo free access to the left-hand channel and a crisply taken finish.

At 2-0 down and with City's strong team on paper looking like total strangers in practice it seemed like the final blow when Sergio Hellings was dismissed for showing his studs in a tackle soon after the second goal. It seemed a harsh decision, made to look even meaner second half when one of their midfielders delivered a near copybook tackle and didn't even get a booking.

But never mind. The City staff were spot on at half-time replacing ineffective Hungarian Gabor Bori with Sappleton, Joe Magunda later taking over from Joe Mattock and lost-looking Laczko finally giving way to Ryan Beswick.

With Hellings and Bori gone, City stopped taking too many touches and started to press with greater unity. After 65 minutes or so Andy King finally found DJ who cleverly evaded a despairing tackle to net with a controlled shot from close range.

King so nearly contrived a second goal for Fryatt minutes later with a clever jink and through ball but Fryatt's corner bound shot was just tipped around a post.

Despite being a man short City continued to press and an excellent move between Joe Magunda and D.J. Campbell on the right saw the later cleverly evade his marker and, although it seemed like Fryatt would score at the far post from the cross, the ball eventually squirmed out towards the penalty spot where the chance seemed lost only for Sappleton to somehow turn his oil tanker frame on a space the size of a table top and lash the ball past Glynn Garner.

City featured Alnwick, James Chambers, Mattock, Worley, King, Bori, Fryatt, DJ, Laczko and Sappleton as players with first team experience but they played like they'd never met.

Anyone expecting Worley to compete with McAuley or Kisnorbo in the centre of defence would have had their illusions sadly shattered as the guy showed himself to be a boy in big men's football and was given a tormenting time by Madjo throughout.

Shrewsbury were faster, more competitive and more dangerous almost throughout the half but the change later was dramatic with the sheer power and presence of Sappleton lifting spirits and allowing King to find more options with the sort of passes that can unlock defences.

The visitors still managed two or three excellent long range shots which Alnwick dealt with competently so remained deserving of a point but City at least did enough to recover some pride with DJ probably shading Man of the Match for his goal, his assist and his non-stop industry.

[DB11]

First half sounds like a disaster

Harry Worley still promising?

[lildave3]

SAPPLETON. RIIICCCKKKY SAPPLETON.

[James.]

Can we handle the possibility of a Hayles - Sappleton front line in the not too distant future?

[mikelcfc]

wa a dire fist half. second asnt too bad. i got the equaliser on video(camera phone so as not to upset the footbal league) might put it up somewere later

[The Reverend]

Irrespressible D.J.Campbell and Rick Sappleton enabled 10-man City Reserves to recover a two goal deficit at Hinckley tonight which earned a rousing 2-2 draw against Shrewsbury Town Reserves when all had seemed lost.

Whatever Gerry Taggart and Steve Beaglehole said and did at half-time worked mighty magic because City went from sick to slick after an abysmal first half.

But for new centre-back Harry Worley it was a nightmare he'll want to forget. First he tried to block a cross from the right only for it to bounce up and hit his hand leaving David Hunt the simple task of despatching the resulting penatly.

Worley was again at fault for the visitors second goal when he ducked out of a challenge allowing Shrews striker Guy Madjo free access to the left-hand channel and a crisply taken finish.

At 2-0 down and with City's strong team on paper looking like total strangers in practice it seemed like the final blow when Sergio Hellings was dismissed for showing his studs in a tackle soon after the second goal. It seemed a harsh decision, made to look even harsher second half when one of their midfielders delivered a near copybook tackle and didn't even get a booking.

But never mind. The City staff were spot on at half-time replacing ineffective Hungarian Gabor Bori with Sappleton, Joe Magunda taking over from Joe Mattock and lost-looking Laczko giving way to Ryan Beswick.

With Hellings and Bori gone, City stopped taking too many touches and started to press with greater unity. After 65 minutes or so Andy King finally found DJ who cleverly evaded a despairing tackle to net with a controlled shot from close range.

King so nearly contrived a second goal for Fryatt minutes later with a clever jink and through ball but Fryatt's corner bound shot was just tipped around a post.

Despite being a man short City continued to press and an excellent move between Joe Magunda and D.J. Campbell on the right saw the later cleverly evade his marker and, although it seemed like Fryatt would score at the far post from the cross, the ball eventually squirmed out towards the penalty spot where the chance seemed lost only for Sappleton to somehow turn his oil tanker frame on a space the size of a table top and lash the ball past Glynn Garner.

City featured Alnwick, James Chambers, Mattock, Worley, King, Bori, Fryatt, DJ, Laczko and Sappleton as players with first team experience but they played like they'd never met.

Anyone expecting Worley to compete with McAuley or Kisnorbo in the centre of defence would have had their illusions sadly shattered as the guy showed himself to be a boy in big men's football and was given a tormenting time by Madjo throughout.

Shrewsbury were faster, more competitive and more dangerous almost throughout the half but the change later was dramatic with the sheer power and presence of Sappleton lifting spirits and allowing King to find more options with the sort of passes that can unlock defences.

The visitors still managed two or three excellent long range shots which Alnwick dealt with competently so remained deserving of a point but City at least did enough to recover some pride with DJ probably shading Man of the Match for his goal, his assist and his non-stop industry.

Ooooooh, a draw against Shrewsbury.

Fantastic effort lads.

[Ultra]

Not one of Taggart's or Beaglehole's finest games..

With the quality in the starting 11 (including two Premier League players), we should have despatched the visitors with ease.

[Joe.]

Na na na na na na na na na na Ricky Sappleton, Sappleton, Ricky Sappleton

[dandannieldanok]

Excellent report, are you or have you ever considered working in journalism Thracian? Better match reports than Bill Anderson and his Mercury colleagues.

[Ultra]

Excellent report, are you or have you ever considered working in journalism Thracian? Better match reports than Bill Anderson and his Mercury colleagues.

Half this forum could outdo BA.

Although he did get the man of the match right on Saturday for once..

[The People's Hero]

Excellent report, are you or have you ever considered working in journalism Thracian? Better match reports than Bill Anderson and his Mercury colleagues.

Where have you been?

He was a second rate hack for a bit in days gone by!

[Thracian]

First half sounds like a disaster

Harry Worley still promising?

I thought I'd missed something when I wasn't impressed the first time I saw him but I was shaking my head tonight. I'm all for footballing centre-backs but they have to be able to control a ball and the first requirements are that they are strong, assertive, combative and decisive.

Come back Scott Garner all is forgiven.

[Chairman of the Bored]

Sappo has got to be on the bench, Saturday, after this stunning effort. Surely?

[Thracian]

Excellent report, are you or have you ever considered working in journalism Thracian? Better match reports than Bill Anderson and his Mercury colleagues.

Long, long ago. But as TPH will probably delight in telling you, I'd be well short of the academic requirements demanded today. No eduation see, at least not nearly enough.

[Chairman of the Bored]

Long, long ago. But as TPH will probably delight in telling you, I'd be well short of the academic requirements demanded today. No eduation see, at least not nearly enough.

That hasn't stopped Mr Blanderson!

[Daggers]

Still contemplating Taggart & Beaglehole to run the A-team then Thrac?

[The People's Hero]

Long, long ago. But as TPH will delight in telling you, I'd be well short of the academic requirements demanded today. No eduation see, at least not nearly enough.

It's not about academic requirements, it's the fact that you're simply not very good at it. Your language is very colourful etc but the veracity of your words is questionable at best as it certainly isn't representative of what ANYONE else seems to think.

Still, if Alan Shee han weekly or Over-hyping Youth Players Journal are recruiting, I'm sure you'd be well set.

[Flynny]

It's not about academic requirements, it's the fact that you're simply not very good at it. Your language is very colourful etc but the veracity of your words is questionable at best as it certainly isn't representative of what ANYONE else seems to think.

Still, if Alan Shee han weekly or Over-hyping Youth Players Journal are recruiting, I'm sure you'd be well set.

Don't keep hammering away, I'll have to get all erasey everywhere else and no-one likes that.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Erm...

Rik Zapp's Chirpy Shrews?

[The People's Hero]

Don't keep hammering away, I'll have to get all erasey everywhere else and no-one likes that.

You don't have to erase mate, I'm TPH - I'm a bit above the rules for the ordinary folk.

[Chairman of the Bored]

The only person above the rules this week is Barry Hayles.

[The People's Hero]

The only person above the rules this week is Barry Hayles.

He IS the rules.

And the enforcer.

And the punishment.

[Flynny]

You don't have to erase mate, I'm TPH - I'm a bit above the rules for the ordinary folk.

Ah silly me. Carry right on then.

In all serious though, leave the baiting out. If he's not rising to stuff repeatedly trying just makes you look bad. And we can't have that otherwise I'll have to start using the riff-raff rules on you and half this thread'd be gone.

[The People's Hero]

Ah silly me. Carry right on then.

In all serious though, leave the baiting out. If he's not rising to stuff repeatedly trying just makes you look bad. And we can't have that otherwise I'll have to start using the riff-raff rules on you and half this thread'd be gone.

It's not so much him not rising to it, I'm just right and he is wrong. He knows that to cross swords with me is to know defeat.

I take your point though and out of respect for yourself I'll leave Thracian to his 'I WAS THERE!!!!!!!' self-congratulatory thre... errr I mean informative review.

[Chairman of the Bored]

Going into Saturday we need to be pulling in the same direction. A six day truce it is. Agreed?