For Man City The Great Dane Wright-Phillips Jensen Distin Benarbia Berkovic Sun Jihai Foe Bischoff Anelka Shuker
Gillespie cross to the back post finds Thompson but it is called offiside. "Terrible decision, right there." Jihai just hacking away at the Rovers players as Yorke moves forward again. Rovers shot high and wide the Man city goal. still, 0-0.
Man City defender shepards the ball out from Cole for a Man City goal kick. 10 minutes in, 0-0 Anelka wins a throw ... takes it himself .. to Benarbia but a Berg tackle diffuses any danger. City begin to build in thier own half. Putting together some good touches. Dunn and Cole, I beleive are nicked and announcers are wondering if they can continue.
Anelka earns a free kick as SHort tries to Shepard the ball out. Not a good decsion. Cross comes in ... cleared from danger but City keep the ball. Fee kick to City as Wright-Phillips causes some headaches ... Jensen shot blocked by Yorke. Third corner for Man City. From near side. Headed away by Taylor. Dunn releases Yorke but poor first touch by Yorke kills the threat.
Ball taken off to easily from Yorke by Jihai. Corner for Rovers. Berg header goes wide. "That was half a chance!" "Should have atleast gotten that on target" Berkovic gets in alone ... corner earned for Man City. Back post. Danger in the area. Berg cleared. Anelka offsides. Free kick for Rovers.
Wright gets around two Rovers men ... but cannot connect with Shuker. Rovers win a free kick. Try to work one-two ... Jihai clears. Cross for Rovers ... two players go near ... cross goes far. Ball played all the way back to Brad. Gillespie again with an "absolutely terrible cross." His third crappy ball this half.
GOAL!!!!! Thompson! Beats his man, works it to his right foot, beats the Great Dane. Rovers 1 Man City 0
Man City threatening right after the goal. Nothing comes of it. Chance for Yorke ... Great Dane has to parry it up in the air and then the Man City keeper recovers.
Dunn bursts through tries to find Yorke but ball gets back to the Man city keeper. Benarbia shots, weakly, with his left foot. Brad just watches it go by. Goal kick. Nutter butters are a solid break fast choice. Benarbia chips ball into box, played away ... benarbia shot deflected by Berg. Follow up shop played well by Brad, had the angle covered. 34 minutes in.
Anelka threatening ... Man City attacking but linesman calls a foul that wipes out any threat. Brad takes the free kick. Yorke just could not get to the back pass Brad called into action as a shot is parried over the goal. Shot from Anelka. Corner. Poor corner. Dunn clears. Jihai earns a free kick much to the dispair of Andy Cole.
Gillespie loses the ball to Anelka but prevents the Frenchman from turning and danger passes. Cole with a couple of offsides. I am shocked. Good possesion football from Rovers. Awful tackle by Neill earns him a yellow. Wait, could even be red. In the end, only a yellow. Sounds lucky to still be in the match. Free kick to be taken by Jensen. Berkovic shot, so close to being even. Shot goes just over the crossbar.
Game has settled down a bit. Cross into Yorke is cleared away. Rovers throw. Deep in the Man City half. Rovers movin the ball around well near the Man City area. Another throw to Rovers. One minute of added time. Berkovic comes forward ... Neill does well to disposses but straight to Anelka. Anelka cross intercepted well by Brad. halftime. 1-0, Rovers.
Second half about to begin. No noticable changes for either side. Berg has to put the ball out for an early MC throw. Gillespie cross into the middle ... Cole diving header into the side netting. City corner, early in second half. Inswinger. Gillespie heads it back. Another corner. Chips into middle, fails to Anelka .. off Berg for another corner.
Neill clears a defelected Wright-Phillips shot away. Cross comes in. Short plays it safe. Man City corner again. Cleared to Yorke. Shuker with a chance. Confusion in Rovers defense .. Brad charges off line ... lob over fails to find goal. Should have been 1-1.
2-0 Rovers. GOAL! for Cole. Slotted it between Great danes legs. Cole off. Not good news for Rovers as his hammie seems to trouble him.
Dunn cheeky pass to Gillespie ... brought down ... got a book for diving ... a terrible call according to announcers. 2-0 Rovers. Short plays it out for another City corner. Cuty fans come alive a bit. Shot takes a couple of deflections ... Brad dives to his right and makes a save. Plays long. Corner to Rovers. Flick cross. Nothing comes of it but a City break. Wright-Phillips cross ... cleared out for another corner
Wright-Phillips gets a yellow for a challenge on Grabbi. Subs starting to warm up for Rovers. City goal kick.