City into Third Round after Casuals win

City secured their place in Monday’s FA Vase Third Round draw after a 3-1 win at Wolverhampton Casuals on Saturday afternoon.

Followed by a fantastic travelling support of around 200 Faithful, City put in a professional display to limit the home side to minimal chances and get the job done to keep the Wembley dream alive.

After over 10 days without a game, Cornes opted for Jamie Insall to lead his attack, flanked by Dylan Hart and top scorer Liam Lockett. Robbie Thompson-Brown returned to the side in place of the suspended Kyle Belmonte in the no.10 role, with Cornes’ settled first choice pair of Gater and Dinsley making up the midfield.

In the opening minutes it became apparent that the pitch, resembling a cow patch rather than a football field, would play a huge part in the pace of the game, with players seemingly running in treacle as they got used to the heavy surface.

Once City adapted to the pitch and the pace of the game, they began to control the ball and after 10 minutes were in front. Lockett received the ball on the left, drifting into the box as City fans have seen countless times this season, dancing past two defenders before shifting the ball into his left foot. For a second it looked like he’d taken the ball too far wide, but unleashed a brilliant left-footed strike to beat the keeper with the pace of the ball as it flew into the top corner of the net. An early reason to celebrate for The Faithful as the sun began to set over the trees at Brinsford Stadium.

City almost doubled their lead shortly after when Lockett delivered for Insall in the Casuals penalty area. He got excellent connection on his sliding finish which looked a certain goal. The home team goalkeeper did well to get something on the ball, but with the pace on the finish it looked a certain goal, and in normal conditions probably would have been. But on the pitch on the day the ball trickled towards the goal line and stopped just inches away, held up by the conditions, and Wolverhampton were able to clear and keep the deficit to one.

Despite City controlling by the early possession, Wolverhampton Casuals did begin to grow into the match and created chances from set pieces. Haydn Whitcombe was forced into a good save down to his left to force a corner, from which the header seemed destined to fly into the top corner of the City net, but October’s Player of the Month acrobatically tipped wide to keep his sheet, if not his shirt, clean for the time being. Three corners in a row presented good chances for Casuals but Whitcombe was equal to them all, keeping City in front.

City continued to press and created chances for Hart and Gater, but against the run of play Casuals would level on 44 minutes. A good header from Joseph Drakeley was just out of reach for Whitcombe and found the back of the net. It looked like despite controlling possession and the game in the first half, City would go in level.

But Cornes’ men, as they’ve shown so many times already this season, don’t let their heads drop and hit back immediately. After Thompson-Brown was bought down on the right of Casual’s box, Lockett delivered the initial free kick which was cleared only as far as City skipper Mace. He sent the ball back in for Dylan Hart to hit home at the back post, and restore City’s lead going into the break.

After no half-time changes, City again came out looking to control the second period and would get their third of the afternoon on 51 minutes. Mace’s corner was met brilliantly by Insall, and his header found the back of the net to put City in full control.

Insall created for himself a brilliant chance to double his tally for the afternoon as the clock ticked over the hour mark, through on goal with only the keeper to beat. A sliding Casuals defender seemed to have tripped Insall as he looked the place the ball into the bottom corner, the ball trickling wide of the post in the process, for what looked a certain penalty, but the referee felt no foul was committed and that the defender had got something on the ball. Insall would stay down receiving treatment for a few minutes.

City continued to press and create chances for the remainder of the tie and controlled the flow of the game, restricting Casuals to maybe just one or two shots at goal for the entire second period. The confident display from the boys in blue and white would see them canter over the line and into Monday’s Third Round draw, with the tie due to be played first weekend of December.

Next up for City is an A38 Derby on Tuesday night as we make the short trip to Droitwich Spa for a Senior Cup tie at King George Playing Fields. This fixture is an all-ticket game so please ensure fans attending purchase their tickets ahead of time.