Match Report: Super sub Semenyo the star in end to end second half

[Olé]

The proverbial game of two halves should involve two different results but City at on form Preston involved a half of turning up and a half not - and could have provided much more, a defensive first half between two 4-5-1's bursting to life in an end to end battle that threatened a decisive winner.

City gave a long awaited debut to youth star Antoine Semenyo off the bench and he was instrumental in transforming fellow forward Famara's runs into two front men going at their hosts in the channels as the visitors went up a gear without finding a result that so often their energy delivers.

The game concluded in both sides going hell for leather, Preston sweeping down City's right repeatedly and heading wide from literally the last cross of the game, but in the end analysis it was City, hurried out of their football for the first hour, who were well worth their eventual rally.

City actually started the more lively and within five minutes Brownhill charged on from midfield, passed to O'Dowda whose run got beyond the last man, looking up to cross low into the edge of the box where on the return Brownhill steered a shot just wide - City making the opening runnings. 

Preston nearly headed in from a corner in the next minute, but Diedhiou's pressure prevented them converting. Minutes later Jack Hunt fed Famara 30 yards out but his low early shot flew wide. Preston had two chances to convert in the following minutes, twice firing over from long balls.

It was beyond the halfway point of the first 45 when City struck back - both teams with half chances from range and with City threatening from the left, it was Paterson who lifted a rising shot from 25 yards that flashed just beyond the top left corner. City were battling for an opening.

Before the half hour patient building from Pack set up a corner from the right from which Diedhiou's looping header was well claimed. But minutes from half time Lloyd Kelly chased down a defender from left to right before scything down his opposite number, giving them a deserved free kick.

Preston rolled the set piece across the box and Daniel Johnson steered his first time shot into the top corner, lifting it over most of the City team. Clinical and decisive, a training ground move with easily the first effort on target. City had to respond and so far they had shown little propensity to.

In the second period City finally went for it, Diedhiou breaking up play in his half to put the tireless Weimann away, running in just right of goal, a dangerous first time cross forced behind with Paterson closing in. City were rallying, and Webster steered an overhead kick just wide at close range.

City threw on Semenyo early in the second for his first opportunity of the season and it was decisive. Suddenly we had physical presence and alongside Famara it told. a long ball found Weimann in space and his quick touch made room to send Antoine at their backline, but his shot was deflected. 

The substitute provided a rare physical threat to Preston's defenders that City so often lack beyond Diedhiou, and Semenyo next smartly controlled a 50-50 high ball, fed it into the path of Brownhill for a touch to Pato who had room to shoot, dragging a shot just wide of the right hand post.

By now City had replaced Lloyd Kelly with Dasilva due to the risk the young defender would see a second booking against Alex Neil's continually diving hosts, LJ's men forced into further reorganisation at the midway point as keeper Maenappa, a virtual spectator, went off for O'Leary.

Against a disappointing Jack Hunt Preston again tore down City's right via Gallagher and Browne's break, the returning full back well out of position as they threaded the ball through defenders and swept it into the middle from where a shot from the edge of box cannoned off Dasilva's shoulder.

But City had a real - and rare - threat up front and inside 70 the dominant Diedhiou headed down a direct ball in front of their defence and marauding sub Semenyo saw his second shot of the half from 25 yards out again deflected just over as the visitors pressed desperately for an equaliser.

It would come a minute later as in front of their own end of fans - and memorable of Wilbraham's leveller late in City's league 1 title winning season - a right wing corner was nodded down commandingly by Pack and Diedhiou span on a sixpence in front of the keeper two yards out to  smash in.

Now City were swarming into their in form hosts and another long ball over the top threatened much but Pato's first touch was heavy and straight to the keeper - it was typical of a spell where the visitors saw a lot of attacking possession but always miscued the decisive touch or pass.

But with less than ten left Semenyo almost won it spectacularly, another break giving tireless Weimann room to run at Preston's by now ragged back line, feeding Diedhiou to draw a defender and feed City's young super sub, who got his body over the ball and unleashed a stinging top corner shot, tipped over with the save of the game. 

It deserved to be the winner but instead it won City a series of corners and from their second, Paterson's return ball into the box found Weimann in space on the right and he lasered a shot just over the bar with the goal gaping and Preston clinging on.  

It was now end to end stuff and Man City loanee Nmecha embarked on a mazy run from halfway but at the edge of the box his wild reverse shot was easily saved by fellow sub O'Leary. City then broke from a Preston corner and Weimann's deep run fed Diedhiou whose shot was blocked.

In the final exchanges Preston again tore into Hunt on the right and crossed to force a save, while Semenyo led the charge on the break, Weimann flashing a long range shot over. City's Austrian should have won a corner a minute later after closing down their defender only to be denied by the consistently abysmal linesmen.

But, calamitously, as is so often the case under LJ teams of old - and always against Preston - the home side nearly won it deep in injury time, another left wing attack from Barkhuizen finding Browne unmarked at the far post but he steered his header wide at close range.

In the end City would be relieved with their point from a match where they only really got going second half having introduced Semenyo - whose name was sung loudly by the travelling fans - turning a dour first half into an end to end second as play off hopefuls threw everything into a winner.

 

Maenappa 6 Little or nothing to do and then injured 

Hunt 5 A few bright moments in attack but a throwback to the v1 Jack Hunt back at West Brom, opened up too frequently at the other end and too far off them

Kelly 6 Looked determined and got far closer to Preston's players than Hunt did, but relished a challenge and his enthusiasm threatened a second yellow

Webster 7 Usual solid performance and again commanding in both boxes including at corners 

Kalas 6 Quiet and unspectacular but solid

Pack 7 Unsurprisingly found himself crowded with two 5-men midfields but became key when the game opened up

Brownhill 6 His energy and determination epitomised City in the final half hour, they really wanted to snatch a winner but sadly not much came off for him

O'Dowda 5 Rarely found with the ball and on his 100th City appearance never got in the game

Weimann 7 As usual bags of energy but not always the right touch or pass but all good things came through him

Paterson 6 Perhaps didn't link up closely enough with Diedhiou but at the moment so obviously City's key man when they build in forward positions

Diedhiou 7 On a poor day for City he was easily our man of the match, won literally everything and a complete nuisance for Preston, often without much support

 

Semenyo 8 His introduction was decisive, to paraphrase a lot of comments in the away end, why has he not been playing - strong beyond his years and composed

Dasilva 6 A few loose touches characterised City's continual weakness at both full back positions but definitely gave City ah extra body on the attack

O'Leary 6 Two routine saves but one in circumstances where City so often crumple 

 

Apologies for late report but after seeing off the wonderful Charnock Hotel on its final day - landlady in floods of tears from all our best wishes - drunk too much on the train celebrating live updates from Benfica's shock win in a title decider at Porto, and ended up staggering around Euston singining Antoine Semenyo songs.

[The Fat Controller]

Thanks for the write up. Interesting that the much derided (by me, too) Paterson is our key man going forward - i thought he was missed until his introduction against Birmingham.

He really is a confidence player. 

[189thoughts]

Agree with you regarding Weimann, thought he was great yesterday and really spearheaded a lot of counter attacks.

[Victory Park Reds]

Great report as usual ole

[Garland-sweden]

Thanks for the report. Nice with one point, in the end Preston could have scored, Phu.

[Carey 6]

Ratings harsh on Hunt, probably worthy of a 6. Did a lot of running & was our main outlet at times. I still find it strange when Johnson throws these players in to start after a month or two of not playing at all. 

Maenpaa id give a 5. Kicking wasn’t good yesterday bar one he fizzed into Weimanns feet & he completely flapped at a corner which Browne (I think) should’ve headed in. 

It’s just frustrating we don’t turn up in the first half almost every game. 

[cidered abroad]

Muito obrigado Olé e em cima os Encarnardos de SL Benfica e Bristol City!

[CiderJar]

Hate to be a pedant Rob (great report as usual) but didn't Semenyo make his debut at home to Sheff Utd last season?

[italian dave]

Great report @Olé, thank you. Couldn't make it yesterday, so good to read a report from someone who generally sees the same game as me!

Minor point, but didn't Semenyo make his debut for us last season? I'm sure I can remember him coming on one game late in the season? Edit - sorry, @CiderJar got there first, as I was typing!

[exAtyeoMax]

23 minutes ago, CiderJar said:

Hate to be a pedant Rob (great report as usual) but didn't Semenyo make his debut at home to Sheff Utd last season?

He does say first opportunity of the season, not debut.

[Garland-sweden]

Its not the first time Odowda is weak in defensive play. Their goal, Odowdas man, just watching. We have a good squad, Odowda not in form, we will see what starting eleven LJ picks vs Leeds.

[1960maaan]

3 hours ago, Olé said:

City gave a long awaited debut to youth star Antoine Semenyo off the bench

 

1 hour ago, italian dave said:

Minor point, but didn't Semenyo make his debut for us last season?

 

[1960maaan]

Great report , and memory , as usual @Olé . Don't know how you remember so much detail with all the alcohol involved.
We were in the Catholic club from just after half eleven , it was like a real life Phoenix Nights , including raffle and someone having to she Sheila about a badly parked car. 
I agree Semenyo made a difference when he came on, but so does Taylor . Having the extra man along side Fam for the last part of the game , seems to upset the opposition. What I will say , and LJ said the same in the interview I've just listened to, when AS came on Fam looked to perk up another 10%. Where Taylor comes on and affects the game, AS came on affected the game and seemed to improve Fam. 
At the other end, I was disappointed how many headers Preston won in our box, many from straight forward crosses/corners. 
All in all , good point made better by other results.

[italian dave]

3 hours ago, exAtyeoMax said:

He does say first opportunity of the season, not debut.

Second paragraph, first line. 

[pillred]

5 hours ago, Olé said:

The proverbial game of two halves should involve two different results but City at on form Preston involved a half of turning up and a half not - and could have provided much more, a defensive first half between two 4-5-1's bursting to life in an end to end battle that threatened a decisive winner.

City gave a long awaited debut to youth star Antoine Semenyo off the bench and he was instrumental in transforming fellow forward Famara's runs into two front men going at their hosts in the channels as the visitors went up a gear without finding a result that so often their energy delivers.

The game concluded in both sides going hell for leather, Preston sweeping down City's right repeatedly and heading wide from literally the last cross of the game, but in the end analysis it was City, hurried out of their football for the first hour, who were well worth their eventual rally.

City actually started the more lively and within five minutes Brownhill charged on from midfield, passed to O'Dowda whose run got beyond the last man, looking up to cross low into the edge of the box where on the return Brownhill steered a shot just wide - City making the opening runnings. 

Preston nearly headed in from a corner in the next minute, but Diedhiou's pressure prevented them converting. Minutes later Jack Hunt fed Famara 30 yards out but his low early shot flew wide. Preston had two chances to convert in the following minutes, twice firing over from long balls.

It was beyond the halfway point of the first 45 when City struck back - both teams with half chances from range and with City threatening from the left, it was Paterson who lifted a rising shot from 25 yards that flashed just beyond the top left corner. City were battling for an opening.

Before the half hour patient building from Pack set up a corner from the right from which Diedhiou's looping header was well claimed. But minutes from half time Lloyd Kelly chased down a defender from left to right before scything down his opposite number, giving them a deserved free kick.

Preston rolled the set piece across the box and Daniel Johnson steered his first time shot into the top corner, lifting it over most of the City team. Clinical and decisive, a training ground move with easily the first effort on target. City had to respond and so far they had shown little propensity to.

In the second period City finally went for it, Diedhiou breaking up play in his half to put the tireless Weimann away, running in just right of goal, a dangerous first time cross forced behind with Paterson closing in. City were rallying, and Webster steered an overhead kick just wide at close range.

City threw on Semenyo early in the second for his first opportunity of the season and it was decisive. Suddenly we had physical presence and alongside Famara it told. a long ball found Weimann in space and his quick touch made room to send Antoine at their backline, but his shot was deflected. 

The substitute provided a rare physical threat to Preston's defenders that City so often lack beyond Diedhiou, and Semenyo next smartly controlled a 50-50 high ball, fed it into the path of Brownhill for a touch to Pato who had room to shoot, dragging a shot just wide of the right hand post.

By now City had replaced Lloyd Kelly with Dasilva due to the risk the young defender would see a second booking against Alex Neil's continually diving hosts, LJ's men forced into further reorganisation at the midway point as keeper Maenappa, a virtual spectator, went off for O'Leary.

Against a disappointing Jack Hunt Preston again tore down City's right via Gallagher and Browne's break, the returning full back well out of position as they threaded the ball through defenders and swept it into the middle from where a shot from the edge of box cannoned off Dasilva's shoulder.

But City had a real - and rare - threat up front and inside 70 the dominant Diedhiou headed down a direct ball in front of their defence and marauding sub Semenyo saw his second shot of the half from 25 yards out again deflected just over as the visitors pressed desperately for an equaliser.

It would come a minute later as in front of their own end of fans - and memorable of Wilbraham's leveller late in City's league 1 title winning season - a right wing corner was nodded down commandingly by Pack and Diedhiou span on a sixpence in front of the keeper two yards out to  smash in.

Now City were swarming into their in form hosts and another long ball over the top threatened much but Pato's first touch was heavy and straight to the keeper - it was typical of a spell where the visitors saw a lot of attacking possession but always miscued the decisive touch or pass.

But with less than ten left Semenyo almost won it spectacularly, another break giving tireless Weimann room to run at Preston's by now ragged back line, feeding Diedhiou to draw a defender and feed City's young super sub, who got his body over the ball and unleashed a stinging top corner shot, tipped over with the save of the game. 

It deserved to be the winner but instead it won City a series of corners and from their second, Paterson's return ball into the box found Weimann in space on the right and he lasered a shot just over the bar with the goal gaping and Preston clinging on.  

It was now end to end stuff and Man City loanee Nmecha embarked on a mazy run from halfway but at the edge of the box his wild reverse shot was easily saved by fellow sub O'Leary. City then broke from a Preston corner and Weimann's deep run fed Diedhiou whose shot was blocked.

In the final exchanges Preston again tore into Hunt on the right and crossed to force a save, while Semenyo led the charge on the break, Weimann flashing a long range shot over. City's Austrian should have won a corner a minute later after closing down their defender only to be denied by the consistently abysmal linesmen.

But, calamitously, as is so often the case under LJ teams of old - and always against Preston - the home side nearly won it deep in injury time, another left wing attack from Barkhuizen finding Browne unmarked at the far post but he steered his header wide at close range.

In the end City would be relieved with their point from a match where they only really got going second half having introduced Semenyo - whose name was sung loudly by the travelling fans - turning a dour first half into an end to end second as play off hopefuls threw everything into a winner.

 

Maenappa 6 Little or nothing to do and then injured 

Hunt 5 A few bright moments in attack but a throwback to the v1 Jack Hunt back at West Brom, opened up too frequently at the other end and too far off them

Kelly 6 Looked determined and got far closer to Preston's players than Hunt did, but relished a challenge and his enthusiasm threatened a second yellow

Webster 7 Usual solid performance and again commanding in both boxes including at corners 

Kalas 6 Quiet and unspectacular but solid

Pack 7 Unsurprisingly found himself crowded with two 5-men midfields but became key when the game opened up

Brownhill 6 His energy and determination epitomised City in the final half hour, they really wanted to snatch a winner but sadly not much came off for him

O'Dowda 5 Rarely found with the ball and on his 100th City appearance never got in the game

Weimann 7 As usual bags of energy but not always the right touch or pass but all good things came through him

Paterson 6 Perhaps didn't link up closely enough with Diedhiou but at the moment so obviously City's key man when they build in forward positions

Diedhiou 7 On a poor day for City he was easily our man of the match, won literally everything and a complete nuisance for Preston, often without much support

 

Semenyo 8 His introduction was decisive, to paraphrase a lot of comments in the away end, why has he not been playing - strong beyond his years and composed

Dasilva 6 A few loose touches characterised City's continual weakness at both full back positions but definitely gave City ah extra body on the attack

O'Leary 6 Two routine saves but one in circumstances where City so often crumple 

 

Apologies for late report but after seeing off the wonderful Charnock Hotel on its final day - landlady in floods of tears from all our best wishes - drunk too much on the train celebrating live updates from Benfica's shock win in a title decider at Porto, and ended up staggering around Euston singining Antoine Semenyo songs.

Sorry if it's been asked before Ole but how on earth do you remember all that information?

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, pillred said:

Sorry if it's been asked before Ole but how on earth do you remember all that information?

He dictates into his phone (well I would need to do it) He might not!

[Redcliffe1990]

"Major factor" "major impact" he's not humble this kid but nevermind, I like this hunger

[Bazooka Joe]

5 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

Muito obrigado Olé e em cima os Encarnardos de SL Benfica e Bristol City!

Que?

[REDOXO]

6 hours ago, CiderJar said:

Hate to be a pedant Rob (great report as usual) but didn't Semenyo make his debut at home to Sheff Utd last season?

 

6 hours ago, italian dave said:

Great report @Olé, thank you. Couldn't make it yesterday, so good to read a report from someone who generally sees the same game as me!

Minor point, but didn't Semenyo make his debut for us last season? I'm sure I can remember him coming on one game late in the season? Edit - sorry, @CiderJar got there first, as I was typing!

 

4 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

 

 

 

2 hours ago, italian dave said:

Second paragraph, first line. 

Sigh!