MATCH REPORT + HIGHLIGHTS: Reds mauled by the Tigers at Broadhurst Park

It was back to back defeats for FC United as they went down 4-2 to Gloucester City at Broadhurst Park on Saturday.



It was back to back defeats for FC United as they went down 4-2 to Gloucester City at Broadhurst Park on Saturday.

The game had started off brightly for FC who were a goal up after just one minute when Jerome Wright’s deep cross from the left was powerfully headed home by Jason Gilchrist to give the Reds the best possible start to the afternoon.

The game could have been completely different had Gilchrist been awarded a penalty moments later, he looked odds on to score before being taken down in the box but his shout was waved away by referee Will Finnie.

Having started off so well the game just went downhill from there as the away team were gifted the equaliser after six minutes when Dave Carnell was caught with the ball at his feet by Zack Kotwica who squared it to Joe Parker who had an empty net to tap the ball into.

The game was up for grabs with the scores level but the away team looked more organised and hungry to every challenge and loose ball and after levelling things up looked the more likely to take the lead.

Some slack defending on the edge of the box allowed Kotwicato turn the ball inside onto his right foot before his low drive easily beat Carnell to give the visitors the lead just before the break.

Just seventeen seconds into the second half and it was 3-1 as Tom Owens-Evans cut through the FC defence and fired home and punish the Reds before the second half had even got going.

That goal seemingly killed the game as a contest and took the wind out of the sails of the home team and it was little surprise when Kotwica grabbed his second with just under half an hour left to make it 4-1.

There was a late fightback from FC though, but whether that was down to them getting going or the Tigers slacking off was down to a matter of opinion and the last ten minutes of pressure and half chances was a case of too little too late.

Luke Ashworth rose well and headed home from a corner with four minutes remaining but in truth it was little more than a consolation goal that made the score line slightly more flattering than the afternoon’s performance had deserved.

To follow up last weekend’s win at Kidderminster with back to back defeats will undoubtedly be a hard pill to swallow for the Reds but they will need to get back to winning ways when they welcome old foes Bradford Park Avenue to Broadhurst Park next Saturday.

Website man of the match: Jerome Wright – On the day never stopped driving forward looking for ways back into the game and a brilliant cross early on had started the day off well.

Report by Craig Phillips