vauxhall lose out to Gloucester

Mar 17 2010 by James Connor, Birkenhead News

Gloucester City 1

Vauxhall Motors 0

VAUXHALL’S lost valuable ground on the teams above them as they slumped to a one-nil defeat at Gloucester City on Saturday.

Both teams struggled to cope with the hard and bouncy pitch not helped by an official who seemed intent on stopping play for every trivial offence committed. As a result neither side were allowed to produce any flowing football.

On one of the rare Vauxhall attacks Josh Macauley was stretching as he got on the end of a Lee Dames pass only to see his toe-poked effort trickle wide of keeper Mike Green’s upright.

The home side went ahead on 22 minutes when the Motormen defence failed to clear their lines which allowed Gloucester striker Mike Symons the chance to cleverly side foot the ball inside James Coates’s left hand post.

Chris Noone should have done better when Karl Noon’s quickly taken throw-in put him through only for him to fire high and wide.

The second half proved to be a scrappy affair with the home side having most of the possession but both sides failed to test either keeper although Brian Moogan’s well struck free kick went just wide with 15 minutes left and Tom Grice almost snatched an injury time equalise only for his shot to agonisingly go the wrong side of the upright.

The result leaves the Motormen in a perilous position but with the futures of so many clubs at stake, could find themselves spared at the end of the season.

Gloucester City: Green,Mustoe, Lake (O’Hara 46), Richards, Hamblin, Rose, Smith Webb (Palmer 90), Hunt, Symons (Symons 75), M. Harris. Subs not used: A. Harris, Mehew.

Vauxhall Motors: Coates, Lane, Dames, Winters, Hannigan, Egerton (Owens 70), Macauley, Noone (Moogan 50), Noon (Furlong 46), Wilson, Grice. Subs not used: Wright, Mustafa.

Next up for the Motormen is Tuesday 16 March (7.45ko) away to local rivals Northwich Victoria. Vics will be out for revenge on Tuesday after Motors recent 1-0 victory at Rivacre Park. Vauxhalls are without a game on Saturday 20 March.