Richards-Everton earns City a point as Tigers extend unbeaten league run to ten
Gloucester City extended their unbeaten run in the Southern Premier to ten, after Ben Richards-Everton’s header earned the Tigers a 1-1 draw with Basingstoke Town.
In a game that lacked any real quality in the final third and a match that saw both defences come out on top, Basingstoke struck first through Nnamdi Nwachuku’s solo effort, before Richards-Everton nodded home a leveller on 6 minutes.
Both sides huffed and puffed without forcing the opposition keeper into making too many strenuous stops, with the result fair on the day.
The draw sees City stay in joint-top spot, alongside AFC Totton and Merthyr Town on 31 points, with Basingstoke 8 points back in 4th.
With a crucial November ahead of them, Mike Cook’s side extended their unbeaten run and haven’t tasted defeat in the league since their defeat at Dorchester Town in August.
Next up for City is a trip to Sholing next weekend, before they welcome Bracknell Town to the TigerTurf Stadium on Saturday 16 November.
It was a fast start from both sides, with Nwachuku chopping inside on the left corner of the box, before shifting the ball onto his left and firing past Jared Thompson on three minutes.
Moments later, a Dayle Grubb free kick was headed towards goal by Richards-Everton, but Simon Grant got down low to his right to palm around the post.
From the resulting corner, the ball was kept alive at the back post, with the ball hung up for Richards-Everton to power home a header from about six yards.
Kieran Phillips had a sight of goal on 15 minutes, before scuffed straight at Grant under pressure, before Nwachuku had an effort from a long throw in smothered by Thompson.
Thompson mistakenly passed straight to Brody Peart on the right side of the box, but Peart curled wide in a golden opportunity for the visitors.
Basingstoke lost Nwachuku to a hamstring injury just before half time, and really lost impetus in the game for the rest of the first half.
The second half was a slow burner, with Ty Duffus heading well over from a corner on 60 minutes in the first real chance for either side following the restart.
The visitors had a shout for a penalty turned away with twenty minutes to go, with Thompson saving the follow up from substitute Aleksander Kokoszka.
City’s best chances for a second came through a poor backwards header into Jadyn Crosbie’s path and a through ball for Luca Robinson, but on both occasions a last ditch slide tackle took the ball off the forwards’ boots.
Basingstoke nearly won the fixture in the final five minutes, but a corner into the box was driven towards goal, blocked off the line and eventually smothered by Thompson to preserve a point for his side.
Gloucester’s attentions now turn to Sholing next weekend, as they look to keep tabs on Merthyr and Totton.
Gloucester City: J Thompson, Leadbitter, Duffus, Richards-Everton, Reckord, Hanks, Grubb, Williams, Emmett, Phillips, Smalley
Subs: Ball, Robinson, Hundt, Crosbie, C Thompson
Basingstoke Town: Grant, Johnson-Schuster, Angell, Appiah-Allen, Ball, Upton, Peart, Brown, Nwachuku, Ferdinand, Deadfield
Subs: Kokoszka, Dunn, Smith, Clark
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Ben Richards-Everton (Gloucester City)
READ MORE: Check out the list of results in and around Gloucestershire from Saturday right here
