Peterborough Utd 0 CITY 1

Last updated : 05 September 2004 By Ciderjar
Steve Phillips made a save, from a free kick early on, look regulation, but James would have been nowhere near it. He also tipped one over the bar well. The penalty save was good also in that he waited for the kick to be taken rather than fall onto the ground like most keepers do these days. It was at "keepers height" to his left and he got to it well parrying it to their player who I fully expected to score but he blazed over. In the second half he made one or two saves. He hardly came for a cross all game though and his kicking was a little bit sloppy. But definitely justified the chant of "England's Number One" (based on the performance of England's Number One).

Their keeper was magnificent in twice keeping out Luke Wilkshire thunderbolts and twice keeping out Scott Murray. Although inexplicably no corner was given for his second save from Murray. But when you are blind it is difficult to see the keeper get a full glove on the ball. The referee is thus registered and lost the plot for long periods in the game including the penalty which was a tough tackle at worst, I thought. He also missed a penalty that they should have had in the second half, and failed in not booking players after having played an advantage. But that is Coca Cola refereeing for you, unfortunately.

Man of the Match though had to be Luke Wilkshire. We all need some of that kangaroo pie, that was the best I have seen him play. He was the Murray of the left side for me. The team looks so much more balanced with the left and right overlapping pairings of Smith & Murray and Hill & Wilkshire. Hill got forward far more than I have seen him do before, knowing that Wilkshire was playing well enough to cover for him. Jamie Smith got forward less than he has. But the way they all played in their respective tandems was superb.

Roberts was absolutely everywhere putting their defence under constant pressure. The number of times he wins the ball from the opposition fullbacks ought to be recorded somewhere, because it is his most admirable quality. Lita was unspectacular until his goal and teams are getting to know, but not deal with, his constant threat of exploding into life with a goal. Heffernan on the bench must have been the most disappointed City player when Leroy's goal went in, but what a very good goal it was.

Tinnion was midfield master as normal and seems happier with life, far less ranting and raving from him. Butler and Coles coped with everything Andy Legg threw at them. "One throw, you've only got one throw!", should have been the shout but it wasn't, Peterborough looked totally dependant on it, so my advice would be to break Andy's leg to get Posh out of the picture. The Posh fans were heard to say "We are playing the wrong formation, half of them don't know where they are supposed to be playing" Sound familiar? Bobby Gould seems very much hated, and Barry Fry ridiculed. A 3,500 crowd shows their dissatisfaction, at least 10,000 other local residents were shopping just two minutes walk away, and at £11 they must be getting desperate for support. The crowd was double that the last time I went.

Who else? Bradley Orr - anonymous although I did notice him chase back the length of the pitch holding their attacker up enough for Matty to get across and make the tackle. Miller came on and took a nasty whack on the shin, but put himself about a bit. Needs a goal, needs several. Fortune replaced Tins and did enough for the last five minutes. And I think that covers it. We played well for the last half an hour, but could have come unstuck because of Legg and the referee. We didn't though, so bring on Stockport, who themselves are a team in a false position. Watch out for Beckett, Bridge-Wilkinson & Feeney and the rest of their **35** man squad.