Slimbridge put one over Gould (From Gazette Series)

Slimbridge put one over Gould

Slimbridge 2, Gloucester Utd 0

Slimbridge kept their momentum going with this hard fought 2-0 success against Gloucester United at a soggy Wisloe Road. The win, however, came at a price with Rich Moore hobbling off with a serious groin injury after winning a penalty, which led to Ross Casey converting a retaken spot kick after Tommy Callinan scored his first goal for Slimbridge to give his side the lead.

Fred Ward had a shot blocked on the United goal line after only two minutes in an early raid by the home side but the visitors came back with Gary Morrison drifting an effort just wide of the far post and Tom Radcliffe firing straight at Ryan Chandler when a defensive slop on the treacherous surface let him in. Moore got in a strong low shot at Joseph Goodwin on 17 minutes which the goalkeeper did well to hold, but the best change of the first half fell to matt Green who headed over the United bar when set up by Moore.

On the half hour Callinan got the ball in the net but was ruled offside and the half petered out a little as both sides started to slow on the heavy pitch. The second half began with Steve Badham putting in a cross from the left but Callinan had his shot blocked in a crowded goalmouth. Slimbridge went ahead on 49 minutes when another Badham cross was neatly headed home by Callinan at the far post, rising well above covering defenders to give Goodwin no chance.

Slimbridge upped their game sensing a second goal and after a couple of chances went begging, increased the lead on 57 minutes. Moore broke into the area at speed but was up ended in a clumsy tackle and the referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot.

Ross Casey stepped up to take the penalty and Goodwin made a good flying save to turn the ball round the post.

Unfortunately for Goodwin there had been an encroachment by a defender into the penalty area and from the re-spotted kick, Casey with ice cool nerve made no mistake the second time and sent Goodwin the wrong way.

Immediately the United dug out with Bobby Gould the former Wales and Cheltenham Town manager running things, made a double substitution with Ekene Ojukwu and Oliver Thompson coming on.

Twice Ojukwu went close for United and looked a class apart from anything in the visitors' attack previously. This forced Slimbridge to re-evaluate their tactics and subsequently the game became a little sterile, with a lot of midfield endeavour from both sides leading to very little in terms of goalmouth action for some 20 minutes or so.

Near the end the lull was broken when Matt Casey got up the left and crossed for Nick Rieger to flick on, but Green, coming in at the back post, just failed to keep the ball on target. The game finished with Slimbridge well in control, retaining the majority of possession.

The afternoons graft, and it was graft by and large for both sides in the tricky conditions, saw Slimbridge take the points but United will take heart that their play is definitely not of the 'bottom of the table' type any more and are beginning to look like a side who could well escape the drop from the Premier Division if improvement is maintained.

Slimbridge team: R Chandler, J Iatalese (N Rieger 83), J Embling, A Pritchett, L Sterling, Matt Green, E Ward, R Casey, R Moore (J Firth 60), T Callinan, S Badham (M Casey 77).

Tomorrow Slimbridge travel to Abingdon United for a Supplementary Cup first round tie (kick off 3pm), while the scheduled game at Tuffley Rovers on Tuesday is now in doubt as Slimbridge have three players (skipper Andy Pritchett, Ross Casey and Leon Sterling) selected to play for the County side against Wiltshire at Almondsbury Town (kick off 7.30pm) on the same evening. It is likely the Tuffley Rovers game will be postponed and played at a later date.