After playing teams below us except Tottenham, the players and I were quite excited to play the table toppers Manchester City. We all knew the side would be under strength as four of our main defenders were injured and to add insult to injury Westwood didn’t play too due to illness.
Anyway on with the game, it started with man city straight on the attack and ended up with a corner which was then cleared away leaving Sess to use his pace to get past Barry and then set up Bendtner for a one on one against Hart. Bendtner had no support so he tried to round Joe Hart although Hart didn’t go to the ground until the right moment and the chance was gone, what a start that would have been and something to hold onto. The next real main thing to happen was an injury to another defender. (Wes Brown) He was replaced with Matt Kilgallon giving him his first start this season. For the rest of the half the visitors had countless chances, the main ones with Dzeko clipping the bar and Gardner clearing off the line from a Nasri shot which looked like going wide but Gardner made sure.
At this time our makeshift defence looked solid. The next real chance was a Sunderland attack with Larsson and sess playing a one two until sess laid a ball for Gardner who’s shot was just over the bar.
HT SAFC 0-0 Manchester City
Lets hope Mancini doesn’t bring on his big guns yet and rests them for Tuesday’s game against Liverpool.
My theory didn’t last long as Aguero came on after half time with David Silva soon after again Man City had the better of possession and chances but they didn’t make them count, Gardner blocking Zabaleta shot, Mignolet saving from Aguero even though Sess was fouled but no free kick given, another Aguero shot saved and Micah Richards also couldn’t score the rebound as his header hit the bar. More chances missed for Man City and their supporters must be thinking how we are not winning this match by now.
In the last ten minutes the intensity increased once again as a Dzeko header went wide after a Silva free kick as mistakes were creeping in the visitors’ play, Lescott giving the ball away same as Kompany who over hit the pass for Aguero.
Also Sunderland had another chance as a Bendner flick on and a Sess turn give him a big chance to win the game but his outside of the boot finish went wide. All these chances missed, a draw must happen. MON played his final cards when Ji and Elmo came on for the tiring Bentdner and Vaughan. Our players had other ideas though as after a Man City attack broke down, Larsson broke through passing to Ji who realised it was 5 vs 3 and Ji played a smart one two with Sess who wriggled past a defender to slip Ji in and he rounded Hart and sent the 40,000 plus fans into raptures. This was the last kick of the game and it had a hint of offside as well but that makes it all square after Leon Osman’s controversial penalty on Boxing Day.
FT SAFC 1-0 Manchester City
Man City fans and their Manager will say they deserved to win however they didn’t finish the chances and we did our defence was magnificent and also Cattermole who looks a different player under MON.
cJ
RTG Junior Match Reporter
