City relegate Bedworth United with 3-0 win at Clarence Park
Elliot Bailey, Greg Ngoyi and Chris Henry celebrate City's second goal. Picture by Leigh Page - Credit: Archant
AN inspired performance from substitute Chris Henry saw Saints past Bedworth United at Clarence Park.
Chris Henry scores in the 71st minute. Picture by Leigh Page - Credit: Archant
Henry came on at 1-0 with 30 minutes left and changed a game that had become stale. The speedy winger brought a breath of fresh air, running at defenders and causing chaos for Bedworth’s right back, Rikki Bains.
Henry added City’s second, making the game comfortable before Greg Ngoyi added a third, relegating Bedworth to Division One of the Evo-Stik Southern League.
City were a shadow of the terrible side that lost to Bedford Town on Tuesday, firing out of the blocks with a slick passing game that had Bedworth chasing shadows.
The breakthrough came in the ninth minute when a sweeping ball from James Comley found Layne Eadie in a crossing position on the left wing. His ball into the box found Elliot Bailey at the front post who headed out of Andrew Kemp’s reach.
Saints lost their way after the goal, allowing Bedworth back into the game, and they almost equalised in the 26th minute. A cross-cum-shot from Martin Hutchcox looped over Nick Jupp and hit the bar and the post before falling to Maichel Piggon but his shot was blocked by Ryan Wharton.
For all their possession Bedworth never looked like scoring and City went into the break a goal to the good.
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City started the second half as they ended the first, struggling to keep the ball on the ground and play the passing football joint managers Graham Golds and James Gray have installed.
It took Henry’s introduction, along with James Kaloczi, in the 58th minute to swing the momentum back in the home side’s favour. After an unsuccessful first run at Bains, Henry turned the right back inside out before firing in at the near post in the 71st minute.
City’s top scorer, Ngoyi, added the third in the last minute. The striker held off and turned a defender on the halfway line before barring down on goal and tucking the ball into the net.
City are back in action on Thursday night at Clarence Park against Bishop’s Stortford in the Herts Charity Cup final, kick-off 7.45pm.
