It was all City in the opening exchanges as the Knitters (!) struggled to string two passes together and get out of their own half. Towler sent one dipping volley a yard over before Milsom directed a header too close to keeper Beattie. On 12 minutes City's pressure finally paid dividends. A long ball forward by Kemp allowed Milsom to run clear. Initially he looked set to attempt a lob over Beattie but he brought the ball down before drilling a low shot into the corner of the net. Milsom, who as involved in all City's good approach play, then switched the ball to Gosling but his first time volley was well held by Beattie. As the half progressed there were a few signs of Hinckley as an attacking force. First, Lucas freed Hunter but Hervin forced him wide and, when the shot finally came in, saved comfortably, and then another Hunter effort found the side netting.

City failed to heed these threats and ten minutes after the interval found themselves back on level terms. Coates' 25-yard effort struck Hervin's bar and substitute Hamilton's lobbed the rebound back over the keeper. Despite Powell's desperate clearance the linesman adjudged the ball had crossed the line. And eight minutes later it got even worse for City when Penny headed home a Lenton corner after Hervin had missed the cross. City were clearly rattled and Harvey was lucky to escape with just a yellow card after he aimed a kick at Coates right in front of the referee. With Milsom limping from the action with a thigh injury on 67 minutes City were forced to bring Jeff MacLean on in an unusual front role alongside Foster. Despite this change City began to regain their composure and Thorne's high cross into the box almost drew them level again but Beattie tipped the ball to safety. As the game reached stoppage time it looked as it City were facing another defeat but a cross from Badman eluded Beattie before striking the post. MacLean was first to the rebound and as he turned it back toward the goal it was clearly handled by a defender. With regular penalty taker Gosling not on the pitch it was left to Thorne to take aim from 12 yards and he fired the ball past Beattie with confidence to make the long journey back to Bath a little easier.