CITY END WITH LAST-GASP DEFEAT

THE 2017/18 season came to a close in glorious sunshine but City slipped to a 2-1 reverse at South Normanton Athletic.
We started the game on the front-foot with a series of early corners causing concern for the home defence as we looked to get our noses in front early on.
We were looking to most likely side as the opening period went on and a good chance opened up for Nathan Hayward who dragged his effort wide of the target.
A neat move on the left ended with George Forsyth going close with a strike before Brad Birch also saw an effort flash narrowly wide.
Birch then turned provider in the next raid as he fed Ethan Moran who elected to shoot rather than square for Alex Tomkinson and he was just over.
The home side started to get into their stride late in the first half and young Jayden Mundle did well to deny King as we went in at the break goalless.
Having made a couple of changes at the break, we failed to start the second period with the purpose that we had for much of the first half.
It was our hosts who managed to break the deadlock just past the hour-mark when Tyson linked up with Lewis who was able to fire home from a tight angle.
We refused to let our heads drop and went straight on the attack as Birch went close before Dave Reynolds came off the bench and was unlucky with a low strike.
A free-kick for the home side was pumped into the area where Fell got up the highest and his header produced a smart save from Mundle, who was then alert to deny our hosts in the closing stages as he parried a close-range effort away.
There was drama in stoppage time as Reynolds managed to level matters but our joy was short-lived as the home side went straight down the other end and won a penalty which Tudgay tucked home to make it 2-1.
We had no way back after that as the full-time whistle sounded as we ended the season in fourth position.

CITY: Mundle, Keasey, Moran (Chiwara), Stoddart, M. Smith, Hayward, Forsyth, Birch, Robinson (Turton), Baldwin (Reynolds), Tomkinson. Subs not used: Danks, Gomes.
GOAL(S): Reynolds.