Title race meets the cup chase (From Gazette Series)

Title race meets the cup chase

Carterton Town 1, Slimbridge 1

PLAYING their second hard game in three days, Slimbridge earned a respectable 1-1 draw at Carterton Town with a second half penalty from Craig Cole being cancelled out by a strike from veteran Kenny Clarke.

from Mark Threlfall and Clarke saw the hosts make a positive start before the visitors had settled, but Slimbridge went closest in the earlier stages when a Gary Marshall cross was headed on target by Ashley Thomas that brought a good save from Nick Heritage. The best chance of the half arguably fell to the home side's Jamie Stalker who got up the right to receive a defence splitting pass from James Mortimer-Jones, but could only scoop it wide from six yards in front of an open goal.

A second let off saw Mortimer-Jones put some power into a half cleared ball from just outside the area, but the ball rammed against the cross bar with Ryan Chandler beaten. As the half came to a close the visitors' Andy Pritchett put in a deep cross on the run, but Moore put his header over an inviting goal. Scoreless at the interval, and Slimbridge had been living dangerously and in truth, struggling somewhat.

On the resumption, Matt Green got into the Town area but the ball ran away from him and was cleared. At the other end Marshall cleared a strong shot from Clarke off his line and Chandler had to turn a 30 yard effort from Threlfall round a post.

Against the run of play Slimbridge took the lead on 58 minutes. Julian Freeman jinked into the area and pulled the ball back across they face of the goal to an on-rushing Marshall who was bundled into the net when about to side foot the ball in. Craig Cole stepped up to hit a well taken spot kick wide of the tall Heritage.

Naturally, the goal lifted Slimbridge and a good spell of strong, attacking football ensued with Green and Moore troubling Heritage in quick succession. Eventually Carterton reasserted themselves with their own good spell. First Trevor Ashley brought a good save from Chandler from ten yards, then Threlfall went close and Clarke hit a post.

On 73 minutes, Town got a deserved equaliser when a cross from the right by Threlfall was hooked into the inside of the far post, giving Chandler no chance. In a grand stand finish both Cole and Green had shots cleared off the line for the visitors and Clarke nearly got on the end of a cross that flashed across the Slimbridge area.

At the final whistle both sides looked drained in what had been a high tempo game throughout and if either side had scored a late winner, the other would have felt very aggrieved.

With Didcot Town winning it was no solace for Slimbridge but with Brackley Town, Southall Town and, what can only be described as the shock of the day, North Leigh losing to Bicester Town, perhaps a point didn't seem a bad afternoon's work but it's getting mighty tight in the top eight now.

Slimbridge team: R Chandler, L Sterling, Matt Green, A Pritchett, A Thomas, R Moore, E Ward (Mike Green 78), R Casey, J Freeman (T Callinan 78), C Cole, G Marshall (J Embling 67).

Tomorrow Slimbridge entertain Hungerford Town in a Premier Division Fixture. In the reverse fixture Slimbridge managed a 1-1 draw back in October but Hungerford and Breathing down the neck of Slimbridge at the moment and another close encounter is expected. Kick off at Wisloe Road is 3pm.

On Tuesday is the Norman Matthews Floodlit Cup semi-final second leg tie at Wisloe Road against Bishops Cleeve. Slimbridge hold a narrow 1-0 lead from the first leg game at Kayte Lane so it is still too close to call and all to play for. This game will got to extra time and if needed, penalties if the scores over the two legs after 180 minutes are level (away goals will not count as double). Kick off for this game is 7.30pm.