A disappointing afternoon for City as they had to settle for another draw – this time at home to Bridon Ropes. The visitors went into the break a goal up and at that point it would have been difficult to argue that they didn’t deserve to be in front.

City were better in the second-half though, but the game remained finely balanced until they eventually levelled up the contest – albeit with a scruffy equaliser. Either side could have gone on to win it – but City finished strongly and had by far the better chances to get the three points in what was a fairly frantic last period.

Although Bridon had the better of the opening exchanges, it was City that should have struck first when they counter-attacked from a visitors’ free-kick.  Mo Cham led the charge but after running half the length of the pitch, he cut inside and just dragged a shot wide of the post.

Bridon were soon into their stride though and were quickest to settle and really belied their league position as they hit City with a series of fast, positive attacking plays. An early move saw a Kian Houston long low shot well blocked by the City defence but they recycled the ball well and eventually John Woodcock curled a thirty-yard effort just wide.

They followed that up with another penetrating build-up that saw them have a man spare on the edge of the box who cleverly dummied over the ball allowing Rhonan Dunphy to bring out a good smart stop from City keeper Tom Benham.

It had been a very promising start from Bridon with City just treading water a little and their cause wasn’t helped when influential skipper Luke Illsley was forced off with an injury on twenty minutes. City were getting forward though and Harry Sikirwayi struck a long shot well wide, while Cham got into a shooting position just inside the box but his effort required just a routine stop from visiting keeper Cemal Osman.

Bridon then deservedly took the lead when on twenty-four minutes, a quick right-sided throw put City under pressure and as they tried to clear the ball a long shot was arrowed in from distance but blocked away. Bridon though retained possession and recycled the attack with the ball finding Dunphy over on the left wing. He rolled it across the face of the City goal and Emmanuel Bestman quickly smashed it home from close range for 0-1.

City responded well to going behind but they were kept at bay by some stout defending as Bridon protected their lines well with some strong tackles and blocks. Zack Jobe had an effort saved by Osman while another shot from Cham struck a blocking defender and was cleared.

Bridon were still looking the better team though and they looked likely to threaten every time they sprang forward. Another sparkling move was started by Patrick Da Lomba with a clever turn in midfield who then found Woodcock down the left. He carefully played in Bestman but only to see his shot blocked away as the visitors were certainly giving City plenty to think about and shortly after, another attack ended with Woodcock’s firm free-kick being safely taken by Benham.

For City’s part, they had a few nearly moments with Jobe and Cham in particular driving towards and into the box, but apart from another Cham strike being completely snuffed out,  they didn’t really do enough to greatly trouble Osman and the keeper had had a fairly quiet and all too comfortable afternoon so far when the half-time whistle did finally blow.

City looked a more determined outfit when they came out for the restart and the early portents were good. For Bridon, David Makisi shot well over from distance but either side of that, City had a series of chances and half-chances to find an equaliser. Jobe fired straight at Osman from a very tight angle, while a Simon Kabamba long throw was well flicked on by Connor Coyne but only found Osman who gathered without challenge.

A decent break forward from Jamie Obianigwe for City started a move that worked the ball over to Jobe and he cut inside and fired across the keeper forcing him to dive to his right and push the ball out for a corner. Lawrence swung that in and it fell to Sikirwayi arriving at speed to meet it, but he could only divert the ball just the wrong side of the post.

The momentum was just beginning to build in City’s favour and on sixty-one minutes they equalised. A move instigated by Obianigwe’s forceful steal and surge forward ended with the ball in being nodded on by Coyne in the box. As it fell to the ground, Lawrence was quickest to react and as defenders and the keeper flailed, he got enough on the ball to see it dribble over the line from close range for 1-1.

Bridon almost hit back straightaway when Joe Quinnear struck a fierce volley just over the angle, but City were now looking for a possible winner. Lawrence whipped in a low free-kick from wide left that just needed any sort of touch to turn it in, but it missed everybody and slid out the opposite side to safety. He then curled in another which was well headed away, before a lovely move involving both Lawrence and Coyne pulled Bridon apart and ended with Sikirwayi flashing an aerial volley narrowly past the angle.

City continued to pursue the extra goal and a thirty-yard free-kick powerfully struck by Cham was well fielded by Osman before another opening then presented itself when Jake McCarthy robbed a dithering defender. Coyne pounced on the loose ball and fired it goal bound only to see a slight deflection send it wide and the wrong side of the upright. Lawrence then brought a great stop out of the keeper when his snap-shot was brilliantly saved by Osman high and one handed, but fortune favoured him as the ball dropped back down and  straight into his grateful arms as he landed!

City then won another free-kick after substitute Leo Dodds was hauled over on the verge of bursting through after a neat double exchange of passes with Lawrence. It was a cynical foul but after Dodds himself had crashed the free-kick low and into the Bridon wall, the offender no doubt would have felt justified for making it!

Bridon were now hanging on just a bit and Jobe’s run and cross down the left deserved a much better ending than the hurried defensive clearance it brought before City had a chance to win it. A free-kick launched from the back by Benham was headed up in the air by Luka Radojevic and fell to Dodds right on the edge of the box but with a clear sight of goal his shot was well smothered and gathered by Osman to keep his side level.

A late corner for Bridon was headed well over the City bar before Obianigwe found some space but his shot was another comfortable save for Osman just before the final whistle blew.

On the plus side, it’s another point gained from a losing position, but yet another draw! It was also a game when the opposing keeper had plenty to do – but sadly most of it was fairly routine and straightforward. Having said all that, one defeat over ninety minutes in thirteen league and cup matches so far this season is a damn pretty good return in anyone’s language!

Final score: Canterbury City 1 Bridon Ropes 1