Gloucester City manager Daf Williams expressed deep frustration following his team’s shocking 3-2 defeat to Uxbridge on Saturday afternoon, a match in which Gloucester squandered a commanding 2-0 lead.
The game started brightly for Gloucester. Just seven minutes in, Kane Simpson’s relentless pressing earned him possession high up the pitch. Simpson then expertly rounded the Uxbridge keeper to open the scoring and put the hosts ahead.
Gloucester doubled their advantage in the 35th minute thanks to Rylie Siddall. After nutmegging his defender, Siddall unleashed a shot that was initially saved, but luckily the rebound fell kindly for the loanee who found the net.
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However, Uxbridge quickly clawed one back before halftime. Jeremiah Okine-Peters met a precise cross to pull a goal back for the visitors, injecting hope for the second half.
The remainder of the match proved to be a nightmare for Gloucester. Under relentless pressure, Uxbridge earned a penalty in the 70th minute which Troy Perez-Duah calmly converted to level the score.
The visitors continued to press, and in the dying moments Frank Keita nodded home the winner from a cross, completing an extraordinary comeback and silencing the KMM Energy Stadium crowd.
Williams did not hold back in his post-match assessment. “Disappointed is probably an understatement. I’m bitterly disappointed,” he said.
“There were lots of positives in the first half, but conceding that poor goal to make it 2-1 changed everything. We asked the players at halftime to maintain their first-half intensity, but they did the opposite.
“The five to ten minutes before our triple substitution were, frankly, the worst spell of football I’ve seen here. Even after the changes, the performance didn’t improve. Collectively, it was a really poor day.”
Looking ahead, Williams is determined to keep his squad focused with just eight games remaining. “We have to bounce back on Tuesday. Things were said in the dressing room that I won’t repeat. We must prepare for every game with the same commitment, maybe even more.
“To our supporters, please keep backing the lads. Putting my emotions aside, we’re still in a strong position, but today’s performance cannot be accepted.”
Gloucester City team: Thompson, O’Regan, Wildig, Watts (Baidoo), Thomas, Hanks (Cross 67), Mitchell (Williams 67), Stretton, Mohammed, Simpson, Siddall (Spence 80).
Uxbridge team: Underwood, Brown, Martin, Fearn, Jones, Nnadozie (Moore 68), Lawal (Boorn 68), Perez-Duah (Keita 68), Okine-Peters (Bocarro 90), Lee (Prior-Tack 90), Rush.
Referee: Richard Walker.
Attendance: 955.