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Bristol City tick off their first objective with comfortable win over Walsall Bristol City tick off their first objective with comfortable win over Walsall
(about 2 hours later)
One down, one to go. It has been 20 years since a team last completed the lower league double of Football League Trophy and third tier title, but Bristol City are halfway there after claiming the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, for a record third time, with a comfortable victory over Walsall at Wembley.One down, one to go. It has been 20 years since a team last completed the lower league double of Football League Trophy and third tier title, but Bristol City are halfway there after claiming the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, for a record third time, with a comfortable victory over Walsall at Wembley.
“It would be nice,” said the Bristol City manager, Steve Cotterill, of the prospect. “We started off the season saying we want to win the league and we haven’t hid from that. I think the league form was kept going by our form in the JPT and the FA Cup, and now we’ve ended up winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at Wembley, hopefully that can push us on to finish the season off. “It would be nice,” said the City manager, Steve Cotterill, of the prospect. “We started off the season saying we want to win the league and we haven’t hid from that. I think the league form was kept going by our form in the JPT and the FA Cup, and now we’ve ended up winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at Wembley, hopefully that can push us on to finish the season off.
“The thing the boys have experienced today is that 30 or 40 minutes of euphoria at the final whistle. If you could bottle it you’d want a bit of it every day. It’s fantastic. You can’t beat it.”“The thing the boys have experienced today is that 30 or 40 minutes of euphoria at the final whistle. If you could bottle it you’d want a bit of it every day. It’s fantastic. You can’t beat it.”
The achievement is, perhaps surprisingly, something of a rarity. The only other team to combine a Football League Trophy win with the third division title were Birmingham City in 1994-95, back when the competition was sponsored by windscreens rather than paint. That game was decided by Paul Tait’s golden goal winner in extra time and either marred or enlivened, depending on your point of view, by the goalscorer’s infamous “shit on the Villa” T-shirt. The achievement is, perhaps surprisingly, something of a rarity. The only other team to combine a Football League Trophy win with the third division title were Birmingham City in 1994-95, back when the competition was sponsored by windscreens rather than paint.
But here there was nothing to take any of the shine from Cotterill’s successful side. At times they threatened to run amok and that they did not is testament to Walsall’s spirit and determination on the first trip to Wembley in their 127-year history. Yet Dean Smith’s side were always second best to a team who since the turn of the year have set about proving that they are the best side in the bottom two divisions. City came into this fixture on the back of six wins and a draw in their previous seven league games, a run that has seen them turn a narrow two-point lead at the top into a 10-point cushion, and it showed. If this remains the best day of Bristol City’s season something will have gone terribly wrong in the run-in. That game was decided by Paul Tait’s golden goal winner in extra time and either marred or enlivened, depending on your point of view, by the goalscorer’s infamous “shit on the Villa” T-shirt.But here there was nothing to take any of the shine from Cotterill’s successful side.
At times they threatened to run amok and that they did not is testament to Walsall’s spirit and determination on the club’s first trip to Wembley in their 127-year history. Yet Dean Smith’s side were always second best to a team who since the turn of the year have set about proving that they are the best team in the bottom two divisions.
City came into this fixture on the back of six wins and a draw in their previous seven league games, a run that has seen them turn a narrow two-point lead at the top into a 10-point cushion, and it showed. If this remains the best day of Bristol City’s season something will have gone terribly wrong in the run-in.
This win also offers an element of catharsis for a club who have only just recovered from their last trip to the national stadium. That ended in a 1-0 defeat to a Dean Windass goal for Hull in the 2008 Championship play-off final and sparked a downward trajectory only arrested by the arrival of Cotterill midway through last season.This win also offers an element of catharsis for a club who have only just recovered from their last trip to the national stadium. That ended in a 1-0 defeat to a Dean Windass goal for Hull in the 2008 Championship play-off final and sparked a downward trajectory only arrested by the arrival of Cotterill midway through last season.
Clever recruitment has been key to righting the sinking ship and it was two of Cotterill’s summer signings who stole the show here. Mark Little, who won this trophy with Peterborough last season, was a constant threat from right wing-back (with the emphasis very much on wing) before scoring City’s second and Luke Freeman – a budget David Silva, all left peg and dangerous scurry – orchestrated affairs from his position just behind the front two.Clever recruitment has been key to righting the sinking ship and it was two of Cotterill’s summer signings who stole the show here. Mark Little, who won this trophy with Peterborough last season, was a constant threat from right wing-back (with the emphasis very much on wing) before scoring City’s second and Luke Freeman – a budget David Silva, all left peg and dangerous scurry – orchestrated affairs from his position just behind the front two.
The latter almost opened the scoring with a spin and fizzing 25-yard drive after only six minutes as City threatened to overwhelm their opponents, and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring on the quarter-hour. Marlon Pack swung in a corner, Aden Flint towered highest, as he generally does at 6ft 6in, and nodded home his 10th goal of the season from close range.The latter almost opened the scoring with a spin and fizzing 25-yard drive after only six minutes as City threatened to overwhelm their opponents, and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring on the quarter-hour. Marlon Pack swung in a corner, Aden Flint towered highest, as he generally does at 6ft 6in, and nodded home his 10th goal of the season from close range.
Kieran Agard and Aaron Wilbraham then wasted opportunities to increase the City advantage but as the half wore on a Walsall side who initially froze with stage fright – the attendance of 72,315 was the third biggest in Europe this weekend behind only El Clásico and Bayern Munich – began to thaw.Kieran Agard and Aaron Wilbraham then wasted opportunities to increase the City advantage but as the half wore on a Walsall side who initially froze with stage fright – the attendance of 72,315 was the third biggest in Europe this weekend behind only El Clásico and Bayern Munich – began to thaw.
Three minutes before the break Andy Taylor, a player with his own Wembley demons to exorcise having missed a crucial penalty here in the 2012 League One play-off final shootout when with Sheffield United, sent a dipping volley narrowly over the bar.Three minutes before the break Andy Taylor, a player with his own Wembley demons to exorcise having missed a crucial penalty here in the 2012 League One play-off final shootout when with Sheffield United, sent a dipping volley narrowly over the bar.
The Saddlers, though, began the second half as they had begun the first and within three minutes City had doubled their lead. Freeman jinked free on the left, whipped in a low cross, and Little bundled home at the second attempt, the two best players on the pitch combining to put the game out of Walsall’s reach.The Saddlers, though, began the second half as they had begun the first and within three minutes City had doubled their lead. Freeman jinked free on the left, whipped in a low cross, and Little bundled home at the second attempt, the two best players on the pitch combining to put the game out of Walsall’s reach.
There might have been a grandstand finish had Jordan Cook’s overhit cross not pinged back off inside of the post just before the hour but City were largely left unruffled. “We didn’t really perform to anywhere near our level, that’s the disappointing part,” said Smith. “Maybe there were a few nerves, I don’t know. We’re normally very good on the ball and today our use of the ball wasn’t quite good enough. Sometimes that happens.”There might have been a grandstand finish had Jordan Cook’s overhit cross not pinged back off inside of the post just before the hour but City were largely left unruffled. “We didn’t really perform to anywhere near our level, that’s the disappointing part,” said Smith. “Maybe there were a few nerves, I don’t know. We’re normally very good on the ball and today our use of the ball wasn’t quite good enough. Sometimes that happens.”
Man of the match Luke Freeman (Bristol City)Man of the match Luke Freeman (Bristol City)