Page 34 - Bath City v Billericay Town - Saturday 10 October - VNLS
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LOOKING BACK 1989/90 CONTINUED



                                            change to the team that had lost at Cambridge, Jeff
                                            Meacham, who had come on as substitute for Andy
                                            Black, replacing him in the starting line-up with Andy
                                            dropping to the bench.
                                            The visitors almost took the lead as early as the 12th
                                            minute before Jeff Meacham had a goal disallowed
                                            nine minutes later for a foul on the goalkeeper. City
                                            then had a number of chances to take the lead
                                            before Alvechurch almost made them pay for their
                                            wastefulness on the half hour when Jim Preston was
                                            forced into a full length save after visiting defender
                                            Owen was left unmarked at a corner.
                                            City eventually took the lead seven minutes before half-
                                            time when Gary Smart’s shot was only cleared as far
                                            as Paul Randall who made no mistake from 10 yards
                                            for his first goal of many that season.
                                            City were well on top in the second half, but struggled
                                            to find the elusive goal that should make the game safe
                                            until they were awarded a rather fortunate penalty
                                            15 minutes from the end. Paul Randall tussled with an
                                            Alvechurch defender in the box and when he went
                                            down the referee pointed to the spot. Paul dusted
                                            himself off and made no mistake from 12 yards to
                                            secure a 2-0 win in front of a disappointing crowd of
       : The team line ups listed on the back of the Cambridge City Match Programme for the
                           first game of the 1989/90 season.  438.
                                            The following Saturday saw City at Twerton Park again
      The 1989/90 Beazer Homes League season saw   when they fielded an unchanged team against Corby,
      the George Rooney era start with a visit to old rivals   who got caught up in Bank Holiday traffic, delaying
      Cambridge City.                       the kick off by 20 minutes. They took the field almost
      Hopes that City would get the season off to a   straightaway with no time to warm up and City took
      successful start took a blow as early as the 12th   full advantage of their misfortune going 2-0 up in the
      minute, when a mistake by Andy Black in the box   first 19 minutes.
      allowed Wilkin, who had scored 30 goals for the   The opening goal came after Gary Smart’s corner
      home side the previous season, to put them ahead   was flicked on by Tony Ricketts to Paul Randall who
      from close range. They almost extended their lead 20   scored from close range, and he then doubled his and
      minutes later, a chip over Jim Preston only just clearing   City’s tally with a cheeky backheel. A combination of
      the bar, before John Freegard equalised for City nine   excellent goalkeeping and poor finishing prevented
      minutes before the interval. He had already forced   City from extending their lead before Corby scored
      the Cambridge keeper into a one-handed save before   totally against the run of play three minutes before the
      Gary Smart’s free-kick was headed back across goal   break following a counter attack.
      by Tony Ricketts to give him a simple tap in.  The second half was one-way traffic towards the Corby
      Both sides had chances to take the lead early in the   goal. Paul Randall had a goal disallowed five minutes
      second half, but the increasing pressure from the   after the restart for a foul on the goalkeeper before
      home side eventually paid off in the 66th minute when   setting up Jeff Meacham for City’s third ten minutes
      Sprigg outpaced the City defence and lobbed the ball   later. As in the first half, only the heroic efforts of the
      over Jim Preston.                     Corby goalkeeper and some poor finishing prevented
      City brought on Dave Singleton and Jeff Meacham for   City going further ahead, but the points rarely looked
      the last 10 minutes in search of a second equaliser but   in doubt and the City fans in the again disappointing
      the home side held firm and they came home pointless.  crowd of 476 went home happy.
      The team for that opening game was: Preston,                   LES BINGHAM
      Stevens, Palmer, Ricketts, Banks, Brown, Smith, Smart,
      Freegard, Randall, Black. Subs: Meacham (on for
      Randall), Singleton (on for Black).
      City didn’t have to wait long to put things right, as
      three days later they opened their home campaign
      with a visit from Alvechurch. They made one
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