Third time lucky for City's Whitworth Cup clash
By Andrew Groves
RIPON CITY boss Charlie Brown is hoping they can finally play their rearranged Whitworth Cup clash against Harrogate Town Reserves tomorrow as they eye a place in the next round (1.30pm ko).
The cup soap opera has been dragging on for weeks with two previous attempts thwarted after their opponents cancelled on two separate occasions.
The fixture was due to take place at Wetherby Road but has been switched to Mallorie Park with Harrogate Town in Blue Square North action tomorrow.
The winners of the tie face a clash against Knaresborough Celtic in the next round.
“I just want to play the game, hopefully win it and get through to the next round,” said Brown.
“That’s the plan but I have no idea whatsoever who they’ll bring. Their first team have used something like 40 players this season so I have no idea.
“We just want to get into the next round. That is the plan.”
City come into the game on the back of Saturday’s exciting 3-3 draw at home to struggling Carlton Athletic.
The 2007/08 Premier League winners raced into a 3-0 lead before George Medd grabbed a goal back before the break.
Paul Margis and James Charlesworth then pulled the Mallorie Parkers level after the break and City were denied a fourth when Shaun Clark’s goal was ruled out for an earlier foul. Despite a late flurry City couldn’t grab the winner and had to settle for a point.
BOROUGHBRIDGE reversed their losing streak last Saturday with a 1-1 draw at home to Field and Daz Ekin’s side will be looking for another positive performance tomorrow when they welcome Sherburn to Aldborough Road in the West Yorks Premier Division(2pm ko).
On Saturday the visitors took the lead with ten minutes to go but ‘Bridge managed to salvage a late equaliser and could well have stolen the points which would have been an injustice to a good Field side.
Andy Kent had the first chance of the game when the Field defence seemed to open up for him and it took a last ditch tackle from Cameron Nelson to deny the midfielder who was in the action again firing wide when set up by Paul Eagling before having his free kick headed on to the bar by Andy Layton.
It wasn’t all ‘Bridge and it took a superb Steve Tovey tackle to deny Mike O’Brien a great opportunity and thereafter it was Field who had the better of the chances.
A strong run and cross by Alex O’Keefe was headed back into the mix by Lee Smith only for Glynn Hirst to miss the target and another O’Keefe cross and a goal bound header from Josh Milner brought out an excellent save from Hogg. O’Keefe then fired wide after being set up by the excellent Nicky Doherty and then, after surviving this period of pressure.
‘Bridge were unlucky to have a goal disallowed when Eagling’s run and shot was deflected into the path of Steve Jones who was denied his first goal for the club by a dubious offside decision.
A strong run and cross from Ben Darville came to nothing but it was Field who finished the half the stronger with O’Keefe again guilty of missing two good opportunities.
The tempo of the second half was not as intense and even though Field had O’Brien sent off they still held sway through the influential Doherty who was matched by another dominant performance by Ben Mudd in the ‘Bridge defence.
With nine minutes to go and a goalless draw looking the most likely outcome an innocuous free kick from Simon Fagan looped into the Bridge net when Hogg’s punched clearance rebounded of the head of Nelson.
There was still time for Chris Pattison, also on debut, to outpace the Field defence with Eagling unable to get enough direction on the cross and in the last minute Eagling returned the compliment only to see Pattison hit the side netting from a good position. Man-of-the-match was Ben Mudd.
BOROUGHBRIDGE RESERVES lost 1-0 at home to Ossett Common Rovers with man-of-the-match Jimmy Binks,while Westbrook YMCA beat BOROUGHBRIDGE 10-1.Chris Chapman scored the goals, while Craig Tetley was named man-of-the-match.
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Weather for Ripon
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
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Light snow
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