On a bumby Brassall football pitch on Saturday night The Gap Gators top side bounced back from their loss to Pine Hills the previous night by comfortably beating Ipswich City 2-0.

While coach Gerry McAvoy would have preferred a greater winning margin the way in which the Gators achieved the result was significant. With criticism of the team coming from some circles after the loss to Pine Hills the Gap responded well on a pitch that was not conducive to playing any brand of quality football whatsoever. To come away with any result on a pitch that the home team must gain some advantage fromn speaks volumes for the attitude of the Gap players.

From the kick off the Gap laid siege to Ipswich’s penalty box with Mark Biddle, dom Kibbey, Levi Beel, Steve Comino, Ashley Tibbles and Paul Cavallaro all having shots on goal, and it seemed only a matter of time before we opened our account. However, the pitch makde life uncomforable for our defence and a lack of communication and occasional diving into tackles offered some opportunities to Ipswich City’s attach that a better side would have surely punished.

With the game deadlocked at 0-0 at half time coach McAvoy called for relentless pressure to be brought upon Ipswiich ’s defence with more shots on goal while still retaining patience in their overall play.  His words were answered within the first 20 minutes with the inspired Mark Biddle, finishing off a good movement that started at the back from a great long ball from Laurent Cazier, by lobbing it over the Ipswitch goalie’s head from about 6 meters out. Biddle got a second to seal the result with about half an hour gone as The Gap produced a procession of chances. It could have easily been 5 or 6 in the end but the result on a truly woeful pitch, the clean sheet, and the maintaining of the 100% away record  were the positives to focus upon.       
The sound performances of many of the players was a real positive as well- Mark Biddle caused havoc with the opposition’s defence all day and could easily have had a hat trick; the defence was far stronger in the second half after some hairy moments in the first with Laurent Cazier standing out both in repealing opposition attacks and providing good distribution to our forwards, undoubtedly helped by Steve Comino’s control and dominance in the second half in a deep lying midfield role , Levi Beel weaved his magic at various times during the game and could have easily had a few goals in a good return to form, and Robbie Callanan literally threw himself into every aspect of the game. The return of Chris Mead from injury and debut of Rory Galligan in the top side as a substitute were also worthy of a mention.  

With the side in clear fourth spot just three points behind three sides on fifteen points all those connected with the team are eagerly awaiting this coming weekend’s home fixture against Regents Park.