Gloucester 3-3 St Albans by Imperator Nero Cladius Divi Claudius filius Caesar Augustus Germanicus
They say a week’s a long time in politics, so by inference ten weeks is a long time in sport. But while politics works in terms of fads and whims, sport works in terms of both mental and physical progression and other such mysterious phenomena.
Ten weeks ago the team from one Roman city visited another, with Verulamium fairly trouncing Glevum on that occasion, but this was a very different encounter with a very different conclusion. ‘More gladiatorial, less slaves and lions’ as the Emperor Nero might have summed up the levelling out of a contest that two and a half months ago was at least as one-sided as the eventual scoreline suggests.
Eight minutes after the combatants had entered the arena, Gloucester claimed the lead. Smith’s surge was illegally halted and Liggett’s awareness saw the midfielder glance home Blackburn’s free kick – only the third occasion in their twelve outings to date that the home side had netted the first goal of the day.
Even better was to follow and the eventual combination was the same – Blacker winning a right-wing corner, Blackburn’s excellent delivery and Liggett’s header on this occasion best described as bullet-like.
Back came St Albans in the way that everyone expected, but with Mclean organising and resolute and Lynam and Blackburn committed and perceptive, the back line held firm. Clifford, Liggett, Chamberlain and Blacker all worked terrifically hard in a collective defensive effort which saw the threat from a succession of corners effectively fended away.
Moroney made an excellent fingertip save to deny Sanders, but with four minutes remaining before the interval, Still won the ball on the edge of the city box and rifled powerfully into the bottom corner to halve the home side’s advantage.
The Saints, as expected, came out of the blocks with purpose as the second half begun, but Gloucester, with Jones, Wilkes and Lawson now entering the fray, stood firm.
While the visitors held the territorial advantage, the city side matched it with a determination and shape that was never going to see them succumb as they had once previously done.
Midway through the half, with the initial onslaught repelled, the homesters extended their lead, Wilkes playing in Blacker who squeezed home his eighth score of the season.
Back came The Saints and with nine minutes remaining Smith converted a right wing corner to once more cut the arrears.
With no quarter asked and none expected the sparring and jousting continued; there were free kicks and corners for both sides, Moroney twice doing excellently to turn fierce efforts from the rejuvenated Peters over the crossbar and Mclean twice putting his body on the line to help preserve his side’s slender advantage.
With four minutes left on the clock Blacker saw an effort saved by Rojas, but with two minutes remaining Scott’s drive found the bottom corner to bring the visitors level.
There was still time for The Saints defence to smuggle away a Liggett free kick and Moroney’s bravery in the game’s final second prevented a Hertfordshire winner. With both the goalkeeper and Sandiford prostrate on the turf, the assembled throng held its collective breath until the moment Nero raised his hand in the air, put the whistle to his lips and declared in no certain terms that the contest had reached its conclusion.
Fifteen minutes later it was all gone. The gladiators had returned to their rooms, the amphitheatre had been dismantled and the rain beat down to wash away any remaining evidence of the contest just completed. Just the time-honoured ‘thumb’ that, in cases where both combatants survived, would declare the final verdict. Which way would it ultimately point? Historically, this was the moment when brows furrowed, pulses quickened and palms perspired. But not today, because everyone knew that it would definitely be up on this occasion.
Gloucester: Moroney; Lynam, Mclean, Blackburn; Blacker, Chamberlain, Liggett, Clifford; Smith. Subs: Jones, Wilkes, Lawson.
Ten weeks ago the team from one Roman city visited another, with Verulamium fairly trouncing Glevum on that occasion, but this was a very different encounter with a very different conclusion. ‘More gladiatorial, less slaves and lions’ as the Emperor Nero might have summed up the levelling out of a contest that two and a half months ago was at least as one-sided as the eventual scoreline suggests.
Eight minutes after the combatants had entered the arena, Gloucester claimed the lead. Smith’s surge was illegally halted and Liggett’s awareness saw the midfielder glance home Blackburn’s free kick – only the third occasion in their twelve outings to date that the home side had netted the first goal of the day.
Even better was to follow and the eventual combination was the same – Blacker winning a right-wing corner, Blackburn’s excellent delivery and Liggett’s header on this occasion best described as bullet-like.
Back came St Albans in the way that everyone expected, but with Mclean organising and resolute and Lynam and Blackburn committed and perceptive, the back line held firm. Clifford, Liggett, Chamberlain and Blacker all worked terrifically hard in a collective defensive effort which saw the threat from a succession of corners effectively fended away.
Moroney made an excellent fingertip save to deny Sanders, but with four minutes remaining before the interval, Still won the ball on the edge of the city box and rifled powerfully into the bottom corner to halve the home side’s advantage.
The Saints, as expected, came out of the blocks with purpose as the second half begun, but Gloucester, with Jones, Wilkes and Lawson now entering the fray, stood firm.
While the visitors held the territorial advantage, the city side matched it with a determination and shape that was never going to see them succumb as they had once previously done.
Midway through the half, with the initial onslaught repelled, the homesters extended their lead, Wilkes playing in Blacker who squeezed home his eighth score of the season.
Back came The Saints and with nine minutes remaining Smith converted a right wing corner to once more cut the arrears.
With no quarter asked and none expected the sparring and jousting continued; there were free kicks and corners for both sides, Moroney twice doing excellently to turn fierce efforts from the rejuvenated Peters over the crossbar and Mclean twice putting his body on the line to help preserve his side’s slender advantage.
With four minutes left on the clock Blacker saw an effort saved by Rojas, but with two minutes remaining Scott’s drive found the bottom corner to bring the visitors level.
There was still time for The Saints defence to smuggle away a Liggett free kick and Moroney’s bravery in the game’s final second prevented a Hertfordshire winner. With both the goalkeeper and Sandiford prostrate on the turf, the assembled throng held its collective breath until the moment Nero raised his hand in the air, put the whistle to his lips and declared in no certain terms that the contest had reached its conclusion.
Fifteen minutes later it was all gone. The gladiators had returned to their rooms, the amphitheatre had been dismantled and the rain beat down to wash away any remaining evidence of the contest just completed. Just the time-honoured ‘thumb’ that, in cases where both combatants survived, would declare the final verdict. Which way would it ultimately point? Historically, this was the moment when brows furrowed, pulses quickened and palms perspired. But not today, because everyone knew that it would definitely be up on this occasion.
Gloucester: Moroney; Lynam, Mclean, Blackburn; Blacker, Chamberlain, Liggett, Clifford; Smith. Subs: Jones, Wilkes, Lawson.
