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Gloucester City's draw at AFC Totton a 'fair result' says manager Mike Cook despite injury to loan striker and late red card

-Credit: (Image: Neil Phelps flickr.com/tigerimages)
-Credit: (Image: Neil Phelps flickr.com/tigerimages)


Mike Cook described Gloucester City’s 1-1 Southern Premier South draw at AFC Totton as a “fair result” as the top two sides at start of play shared the spoils.

Brandon Smalley, on as an early substitute for the injured Jadyn Crosbie, gave City the lead 10 minutes before the break, but Ethan Taylor’s strike shortly before the hour levelled for Totton, managed by former Forest Green Rovers caretaker boss Jimmy Ball.

City suffered the late dismissal of Daniel Leadbitter for a second bookable offence, but held on to retain top spot.

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“Overall I think it was a fair result,” Cook told club media. “I thought we were quite good first half and fully deserved the lead, but second half they came into it a bit more. Overall I’m pleased with that point.

“I’d like to take credit for the substitution but I can’t as he is injured and it is a shame that Jadyn had to come off as he is doing really well for us but I am pleased that Brandon came on and got the goal for us, it was a tremendous finish.

“Coming to these places is going to be tough. There is nothing easy so it’s good to get that point.”

“I don’t want to take too much away from Totton as they played well and Bally is a good manager.

“They are well drilled and they are going to be tough. They will be in and around it so to come here and get a draw is a good result for us.”

Crosbie’s hamstring injury will be assessed but Cook is hopeful it isn’t a bad one for the striker, who is on loan from Torquay United.

“Potentially he might only miss a couple of weeks, which won’t be too bad if that’s the case but we will get Tuesday and Saturday out of the way and then reassess it,” he said.

“For their goal I felt Leads (Leadbitter) was impeded by their centre forward who grabs hold of him, and then for his red card I didn’t feel it was worth a second yellow.

“It was the last minute of the game and both players were grappling so for him to be sent off for that showed a bit of inconsistency after what had gone on earlier in the game.”

The two defensive units shone during the early exchanges as Totton threatened when Tega Agberhiere’s pass put Taylor in at inside-left to pull back to Charlie Austin, whose shot was deflected, then Declan Rose teed-up Tony Lee to strike but goalkeeper Jared Thompson kept him out.

An Ed Williams through-ball almost put Harry Emmett clean through for Gloucester but for Totton ‘keeper Josh Gould’s interception, then, Austin tested Thompson at his near post.

Gloucester took the lead when Tyrone Duffus showed quick feet to avoid a challenge just inside the Totton half and passed infield. Williams released Smalley at inside-right and he sat a defender down before calmly passing the ball into the bottom-left corner.

Totton equalised when Luke Bennett received the ball on the right touchline and fired a firm pass into Lee, in a central attacking position. He saw Taylor arriving into space at the left corner of the box, and the winger took a touch and struck an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net.

Gloucester managed a few attempts from distance and one looping header from Dayle Grubb that landed on top of the net, and settled for the point after Leadbitter’s second yellow in stoppage time.

City head back to Hampshire on Tuesday night as they face Winchester City.

Gloucester: J Thompson, Leadbitter, Duffus, Richards-Everton, Emmett, Dawson, Hanks, Grubb (Burns 86), Williams, Crosbie (Smalley 7), Baidoo (Phillips 54). Sub not used: C Thompson