Isle of Wight Tour Games
Reading 2 - Gloucester 3
Gloucester’s A Squad opened their half term tour with a hard-earned victory at Reading.
A very even opening twenty minutes saw each side cancel out the other, Gloucester’s Roddis, Gore, Pledger and Coldridge matching their Reading counterparts move for move, while Richards, Weir-Roberts and Hylton looked well in control at the back.
The first real efforts of the game however came from the hosts, with Troke twice saving well from Clarke within a sixty-second spell, but just two minutes later it was the visitors that claimed the advantage, Roddis playing in Townsend who slotted his first goal of the season into the bottom corner.
Reading though hit back with a brace of strikes early in the second half as first Best converted a fine cross from James to level matters, then Clarke skipped past four challenges to net an impressive individual score.
Back came the city team and six minutes later they drew level, Gore’s excellent pass and Jenner’s equally excellent finish restoring parity. Roddis then saw his drive turned round the post and Pledger too went close as the visitors began to up the ante.
A fine turn and shot from Jenner brought another save from the Reading keeper, while both Weir-Roberts and Hylton tried their luck from distance as Gloucester sought a winner.
Coldridge was unfortunate to see his effort following a Pledger corner come back off the woodwork, but with just four minutes remaining Pledger controlled Roddis’s cross-field pass before rifling home off the underside of the bar to claim the victory.
Portsmouth 2 - Gloucester 2
Following two hectic days in the Isle of Wight and an early-morning ferry crossing, Gloucester again gave as good as they got in their Southern Counties League encounter at Portsmouth.
Pledger’s fine early cross was volleyed wide by Townsend who had made good ground to get in at the far post, though Pompey went close only to be denied by a combination of Troke and Weir-Roberts.
Awford headed home a right wing corner to give the Hampshire team the lead, but either side of the hosts’ opening score Jenner was denied by the home keeper, firstly Roddis and then Gore playing the city striker in behind the Pompey back line.
Gloucester eventually levelled six minutes before the break. Richards, who read the game excellently at centre back throughout, broke forward to play in Pledger who drove powerfully into the far corner.
Weir-Roberts did very well to block a Pompey effort right on the half time whistle, but three minutes after the restart Anderson’s cross-cum-shot went straight in at the near post as the home team were well on top for the first ten minutes of the second period.
The re-introduction of Roddis however reinvigorated the visitors, the midfielder’s first taste of the second half action being to sprint thirty yards back to cut out another home foray. This seemed to set the tone for the city team for the remainder of the contest as the Southerners cleared a brace of corners before Weir-Roberts’ effort following a third flag kick flashed wide.
Richards’ well struck free kick then just cleared the hosts’ crossbar before, with eight minutes remaining, Gore’s trademark perfectly weighted pass and Jenner’s classic finish brought the scores level.
Both teams went close in the closing minutes, Howard’s volley striking the top of the city crossbar before Coldridge’s fine run and cross almost set up Townsend, but it would have been hard on either side to have conceded a late score as a very evenly-matched encounter finished level.
Gloucester A tour party: Troke; Weir-Roberts, Richards, Hylton, Coldridge, Townsend, Roddis, Gore, Pledger, Jenner.
Gloucester’s A Squad opened their half term tour with a hard-earned victory at Reading.
A very even opening twenty minutes saw each side cancel out the other, Gloucester’s Roddis, Gore, Pledger and Coldridge matching their Reading counterparts move for move, while Richards, Weir-Roberts and Hylton looked well in control at the back.
The first real efforts of the game however came from the hosts, with Troke twice saving well from Clarke within a sixty-second spell, but just two minutes later it was the visitors that claimed the advantage, Roddis playing in Townsend who slotted his first goal of the season into the bottom corner.
Reading though hit back with a brace of strikes early in the second half as first Best converted a fine cross from James to level matters, then Clarke skipped past four challenges to net an impressive individual score.
Back came the city team and six minutes later they drew level, Gore’s excellent pass and Jenner’s equally excellent finish restoring parity. Roddis then saw his drive turned round the post and Pledger too went close as the visitors began to up the ante.
A fine turn and shot from Jenner brought another save from the Reading keeper, while both Weir-Roberts and Hylton tried their luck from distance as Gloucester sought a winner.
Coldridge was unfortunate to see his effort following a Pledger corner come back off the woodwork, but with just four minutes remaining Pledger controlled Roddis’s cross-field pass before rifling home off the underside of the bar to claim the victory.
Portsmouth 2 - Gloucester 2
Following two hectic days in the Isle of Wight and an early-morning ferry crossing, Gloucester again gave as good as they got in their Southern Counties League encounter at Portsmouth.
Pledger’s fine early cross was volleyed wide by Townsend who had made good ground to get in at the far post, though Pompey went close only to be denied by a combination of Troke and Weir-Roberts.
Awford headed home a right wing corner to give the Hampshire team the lead, but either side of the hosts’ opening score Jenner was denied by the home keeper, firstly Roddis and then Gore playing the city striker in behind the Pompey back line.
Gloucester eventually levelled six minutes before the break. Richards, who read the game excellently at centre back throughout, broke forward to play in Pledger who drove powerfully into the far corner.
Weir-Roberts did very well to block a Pompey effort right on the half time whistle, but three minutes after the restart Anderson’s cross-cum-shot went straight in at the near post as the home team were well on top for the first ten minutes of the second period.
The re-introduction of Roddis however reinvigorated the visitors, the midfielder’s first taste of the second half action being to sprint thirty yards back to cut out another home foray. This seemed to set the tone for the city team for the remainder of the contest as the Southerners cleared a brace of corners before Weir-Roberts’ effort following a third flag kick flashed wide.
Richards’ well struck free kick then just cleared the hosts’ crossbar before, with eight minutes remaining, Gore’s trademark perfectly weighted pass and Jenner’s classic finish brought the scores level.
Both teams went close in the closing minutes, Howard’s volley striking the top of the city crossbar before Coldridge’s fine run and cross almost set up Townsend, but it would have been hard on either side to have conceded a late score as a very evenly-matched encounter finished level.
Gloucester A tour party: Troke; Weir-Roberts, Richards, Hylton, Coldridge, Townsend, Roddis, Gore, Pledger, Jenner.
