Impressive away form continues as City go top of table

First half strikes from Izak Reid and Jamie Insall were enough to secure the points for City on Wednesday night as they overcame a tough Highworth Town side, to keep up their 100% away record in the Hellenic League so far this season.

Manager Chris Cornes continued to keep faith with the majority of his first eleven from recent league games, with Haydn Whitcombe, Elliott Keightley and Izak Reid returning to the starting line-up from the Cinderford cup win the previous midweek, with Joe Stockton, Lorcan Sheehan and James Batchelor missing out on starting places.

Highworth came into the match on a high following their penalty shootout success over AFC St Austell in the FA Vase at the weekend, but it was City who started the brighter of the two teams in the opening minutes. The first real attempt of the game, however, fell to the hosts, as Luke Whelan drove forward and struck an effort towards goal, forcing a good save from Whitcombe who could parry the ball behind.

The opening goal came just after the 10 minute mark when Highworth keeper Connor Johns failed to deal with a high cross into the box, fumbling to Izak Reid who fired his effort into the back of the net for his first goal since the Brimscombe & Thrupp victory in early October.

After the opening goal the game turned into a rather scrappy affair for the next 20 minutes or so, during which time Connor Gater became an early casualty for City, departing with a suspected hamstring injury, a blow ahead of the upcoming busy schedule. He was replaced in the City line-up by Cam Monteith.

The forced change didn't knock City out of their stride and they doubled their advantage on 31 minutes. Lockett managed to evade three Highworth defenders and get a cross into the box for Jamie Insall, on hand to head past Johns and into the back of the Highworth net.

Kyle Belmonte almost wrapped up the points for City with 45 minutes to spare with an excellent effort on goal, forcing Johns into a good save to tip the ball around the post and keep the home side in the contest heading into the second half.

City came out for the second half in similar fashion to how they had in the first, with Belmonte leading the charge to add to their goal tally, firstly forcing a good save from Johns to this time tip around the left of the post, and minutes later seeing an effort deflected for a corner which was then nodded just wide by Layton. Good build-up play and a flick-on from Insall also set Belmonte clear on the hour, but his drilled ball across the box couldn't find Lockett on the stretch.

After the hour mark the game turned fairly scrappy for both sides, with bookings for both teams including a sin bin for Highworth forward Dan Grieve. A late push from the hosts saw Haydn Whitcombe forced into two excellent saves in stoppage time, the first tipping a fantastic effort onto the crossbar, and second facing a point-blank effort which he managed to keep out.

The win sees City return to top spot in the league table with three games still in hand on rivals Corsham Town, who will get the oopportunity to return to top spot this Saturday when they face Cinderford Town away from home, with City in FA Vase action against Boston Town.