By Callum Nixon
Date: Wednesday 4th March, 2020
Venue: USW Sport Park, Treforest
USW’s promotion hopes will go down to the last game of the season after a frustrating loss at home to Gloucestershire University.
After today’s result, coach Rob Bailey cut a frustrated figure ahead of his teams final game against Gloucester in two weeks time.
“Very frustrating day, we had plenty of chances in the first half where we could have put the game to bed. I think the occasion got to us a little bit.”
Rob Bailey’s side had the better of the early chances in the game with the first chance of the game coming to Danny Maguire who’s free kick caused problems for the Gloucester goalkeeper, although the the ball was gathered at the second attempt.
However, it was the visitors who took the lead in the first half against the run of play. A long ball over the top managed to find the Gloucester number nine who fired his half volley past Ben Williams in the USW net.
USW were kept out time and time again with the Gloucestershire goalkeeper pulling off a string of fine saves. The flurry of saves meant that the visitors went into the half time break in the lead.
USW came flying out at the start of the second half and scored the equaliser shortly after the restart with centre half Dom Ward firing a powerful header past the Gloucestershire keeper to spark hopes of a USW comeback.
USW almost found themselves in front in bizarre fashion after a low ball by JJ Ogugua smashing against one of the Gloucestershire defenders almost sending the ball into his own goal.
It was the visitors who got the next goal of the game. Gloucestershire took the lead from a corner kick after USW goalkeeper Ben Williams was blocked from gathering the ball following the set piece allowing the loose ball to be tucked away.
USW then pushed for their second equaliser and thought they had it going into added time with Mikey Wicherek finding himself one-on-one with the Gloucestershire keeper agonisingly fired his shot wide of the goal.
Promotion hopes still lie in USW’s hands and Bailey remains confident that his team will get the job done.
“I’m very confident, I’ve got a very good squad and it’s not very often this season where they haven’t performed. I’ve got no doubt we’ll go to Gloucester in two weeks and do what we have to do.”