A POINT APIECE – TIGERS LOVETT!
RHYS Lovett produced a near immaculate goalkeeping performance to earn leaders Gloucester City a hardfought points against FA Cup kings Chorley.
In the only fixture that was played in the National League North yesterday, the Tigers number one was in fine form to deny a hard-working Magpies side from snatching three points at Meadow Park.
Gold Omotayo gave Gloucester the lead on his debut but his first half strike was cancelled out by a superb finish from Elliot Newby.
Tigers boss Paul Groves had high praise for his side’s dominant first half performance and the impressive debuts for Ryan Barnett, Daniel Leadbitter and Omotayo.
“I thought in the first half especially early on we controlled the game and got in good positions and deservedly went in front,” said Groves. “Ryan was a real threat and Gold with his goal threat, it takes time to build relationship with new players and Dan accounted himself very well.”
Gloucester started the brighter and Keanu Marsh
Brown went close with a header inside two minutes after Barnett found space on the right-hand side.
Jordan Young and Jack Burroughs were lively in the opening stages with the two loanees making driving runs forward. Similarly, Omotayo was a constant threat to the Chorley backline and it was the towering forward who made the breakthrough on 26 minutes.
Tommy O’Sullivan’s delicious free-kick was glanced on by Omotayo and just went beyond the fingertips of Matt Urwin to put the Tigers ahead.
Chorley were then dealt another blow ten minutes later when captain Scott Leather was forced off through injury, but the Magpies responded well and arguably should have been level on the stroke of half-time. Newby released Jon Ustabasi and his cross reached the gut-busting run of Arlen Birch and despite having time to set himself, the wing-back cannoned his effort miles over the crossbar.
The opening 25 minutes of the second half lacked action but the following five more than made up for it. Gloucester skipper Kevin Dawson broke the Chorley defensive line but was thwarted twice by two strong saves from Urwin.
Just a minute later, Harry Cardwell muscled off Ben Morgan and his cross found Ustabasi but Lovett produced a fantastic save.
High on their excellent opportunity, Chorley kept pushing and an equaliser came when Newby worked his way into the Gloucester box and flashed a curling effort into the far corner.
The momentum was firmly with the visitors now and Lovett had to make two more fantastic saves to ensure his side left with a point.
The Gloucester shot-stopper first denied Caldwell with a header and then amazingly stopped Newby getting his second with a stray leg after his sliding effort took a big deflection.
STAR MAN: Rhys Lovett (Gloucester Cty) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Dean Watson