GLOUCESTER CITY 2
COLWYN BAY 2
HOME-town heroes playing eight miles from home – Gloucester City's plight in a nutshell.
More than 500 appearances separate Tom Webb and Matt Liddiard in the Tigers' record books, but they were both heroes in yellow in black on City's big night..
Webb's floated first goal and Liddiard's thumping header secured the Tigers a battling point on the night the club threw open their doors in a bid to boost the coffers.
And with 602 clicking through the turnstiles to see two Gloucester boys score on a night of see-saw emotion, City can add in excess of £5,000 to their fighting fund.
The two goals cancelled out strikes from Gareth Evans and Frank Sinclair – yes that Frank Sinclair – that had threatened to give the visitors a crucial win in their fight to avoid the drop.
Webb's impressive 18th minute strike drew City level after a start that had all the marks of a touch of stage fright.
Robert Hopley could have given the visitors a first minute lead but he headed wide after escaping anything like a defensive challenge.
But the Bay skipper was at the heart of the eighth minute opening goal, as Jamie Ellison rifled home emphatically after Mike Green had blocked Hopley's shot.
Webb then took over marking his 521st appearance by winning a trademark second ball on the edge of the box and then finding the top corner with a shot that was anything but a forte.
Darren Edwards wasted a chance to fire City into the lead as he failed to adjust his feet to meet Lewis Hogg's through ball, while Green saved superbly from Jamie Ellison as the half ended level.
Neat feet from Adam Mann prevented Ellison from giving his side an early second half lead, as the Gloucester winger blocked the Bay forwward's shot on the line with Green beaten.
Mann then raced up the field to fire s shot wide of goal while Charlie Joyce rifled a long-range shot of his own inches wide of the target with Green reduced to the role of a spectator.
With City pressing, the introduction of Will Morford for Mann gave City some renewed attacking vigour, but after racing clear the City sub was denied by Bay keeper Chris Sanna's dash from goal.
Morford's miss allowed the visitors back into the game and City were given a real fright as Evans stole in to the box and fired a dangerous cross-shot that evaded all comers at the far post.
And the warning wasn't heeded as eight minutes from time, Sinclair met a curling free-kick from the right and despite Green's best efforts the Bay boss bundled home.
But City would not be denied and Liddiard forced Sanna into an outstanding save two minutes later, the keeper diving full strength to his right to turn the dipping volley round the post.
However the talented teen was not to be denied for long, rifling an unstoppable heade in to the roof of the net from a Hogg corner.
Tom Hamblin had a chance to win it for City right at the death, but in a funny way that may have taken away from the outstanding story of the night.
If the Tigers needed two poster boys to sum up their current state, then look no further than club legend Webb and his young understudy Liddiard.
The 18-year-old youth product is undoubtedly a fine prospect, probably one who could go on to endanger Webb's record with a fair wind.
But to have any chance of doing that, he needs to play a proper home game, and sooner rather than later.
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Gloucester City: MJ Green; MF Green (S Rawlings, 46), T Hamblin, M Coupe, D Andrew; A Mann (W Morford, 60), T Webb, J Harris, L Hogg; S Davies, D Edwards (M Liddiard 76).
Subs: C Holland, N Mustoe.
Colwyn Bay: C Sanna, T Smyth, M Lea, F Sinclair, D Meadowcroft, J McKenna, G Evans, F McLachlan, R Hopley, J Ellison, C Joyce.
Subs: L Davey, J Crowther, J Lampkin, S Payne, T Roberts.
Referee: N Radford (Worcestershire).
Att: 602
Star man: Tom Webb.
