Genesis
And in the beginning, on the first day, there was light.
There was also grey cloud and early-morning mizzle, but the Garden of Eden still sparkled as a hundred-plus crowd made its way through the pearly gates to witness the second encounter of the opening morning against the Hertfordshire visitors from St Albans.
Gloucester edged the first half, Walters forcing a fine save from Sunnassee in The Saints’ goal, before the second Knight – alphabetically anyway, was upended in the box to win the hosts a penalty. Mustoe however, confusing the coaches’ calls for more width with his effort from the spot, went wide when narrow may have been a wiser call and the visitors’ goal net remained undisturbed.
Not for long though, as with just three more minutes played, Mitchell played in the second Knight once again and this time the flying winger finished well to give the hosts a 24th minute lead. Moments later, Mitchell went close himself, but the city side was indebted to Franks to preserve their slender advantage, the keeper producing a fine save to deny Seth who, like his brief biblical appearance, was thwarted in his efforts to write his name properly into the record books.
And after the light came darkness.
The second period saw The Saints on top for much of the time and the visitors gave warning of their intent when Sanders saw not one but two efforts very well blocked on the line by the redoubtable Hanlon after the home defence had initially failed to clear.
It was not long though before the visitors levelled, Kane converting from close range and with six minutes remaining, Postema wriggled serpent-like down the left and proved he was more than Abel, delivering a cross that evaded everyone to roll, almost apologetically, inside the far post. ‘Would you Adam & Eve it?’ bemoaned the visiting Londoner, who only ten minutes earlier had paid £9.50 for a gold & black scarf to complete his hour-long conversion from beatified visitor to honorary Man of Glawwwwster.
And so it came to pass that the first day proved that everything in the garden isn’t rosy. Yet, with a little care and attention to detail, there is enough to suggest that the spring-like shoots that scurried to and fro on the emerald carpet, may soon be ready to blossom and grow – and hopefully before the next chapter reaches its inevitable conclusion.
Gloucester A 1-2 St Albans A
Gloucester: Franks; Hanlon, Pargeter, Kelly; Mustoe, Walters, First Knight, Second Knight; Mitchell. Subs: Peirce, Adichareh.
There was also grey cloud and early-morning mizzle, but the Garden of Eden still sparkled as a hundred-plus crowd made its way through the pearly gates to witness the second encounter of the opening morning against the Hertfordshire visitors from St Albans.
Gloucester edged the first half, Walters forcing a fine save from Sunnassee in The Saints’ goal, before the second Knight – alphabetically anyway, was upended in the box to win the hosts a penalty. Mustoe however, confusing the coaches’ calls for more width with his effort from the spot, went wide when narrow may have been a wiser call and the visitors’ goal net remained undisturbed.
Not for long though, as with just three more minutes played, Mitchell played in the second Knight once again and this time the flying winger finished well to give the hosts a 24th minute lead. Moments later, Mitchell went close himself, but the city side was indebted to Franks to preserve their slender advantage, the keeper producing a fine save to deny Seth who, like his brief biblical appearance, was thwarted in his efforts to write his name properly into the record books.
And after the light came darkness.
The second period saw The Saints on top for much of the time and the visitors gave warning of their intent when Sanders saw not one but two efforts very well blocked on the line by the redoubtable Hanlon after the home defence had initially failed to clear.
It was not long though before the visitors levelled, Kane converting from close range and with six minutes remaining, Postema wriggled serpent-like down the left and proved he was more than Abel, delivering a cross that evaded everyone to roll, almost apologetically, inside the far post. ‘Would you Adam & Eve it?’ bemoaned the visiting Londoner, who only ten minutes earlier had paid £9.50 for a gold & black scarf to complete his hour-long conversion from beatified visitor to honorary Man of Glawwwwster.
And so it came to pass that the first day proved that everything in the garden isn’t rosy. Yet, with a little care and attention to detail, there is enough to suggest that the spring-like shoots that scurried to and fro on the emerald carpet, may soon be ready to blossom and grow – and hopefully before the next chapter reaches its inevitable conclusion.
Gloucester A 1-2 St Albans A
Gloucester: Franks; Hanlon, Pargeter, Kelly; Mustoe, Walters, First Knight, Second Knight; Mitchell. Subs: Peirce, Adichareh.
