On the heavy Twerton Park pitch both sides took a little while to settle but with just ten minutes gone the Eastern Division promotional hopefuls took the lead. Keeler's shot was deflected behind for a corner and, when City failed to adequately clear their lines, the ball fell to Andrews who volleyed a stunning effort over Hervin. Following this goal City began to dominate possession but fail to really test Magpie keeper Ormerod, although Colin Towler should have done better with a 20th minute header from Williams's corner. What was already looking like a difficult night for City became even worse just before the half hour mark when influential striker Paul Milsom was carried from the action with an ankle injury. He was replaced by Mark Badman, Davis joining Foster up front. What pattern there had been in City's play disappeared and the visitors should have extended their lead before the interval. Keeler sent a 34th minute header wide from just six yards out wide and Andrews saw Hervin save his curling shot a few minutes later. The closest City came before half time to drawing level was from a trademark Jason Drysdale free-kick that Ormerod couldn't hold and scrambled away for a corner.

Little in the way of either sides performance changed into the second period, City failing to lift their game despite more than their fair share of possession and Dorchester looking the more likely to add to the scoring. And just seven minutes had passed from the break when they did just that. Keeler was given far too much room down the left side and his cross was headed past Hervin by O'Hagen. This at last appeared to wake City up and for the remainder of the game they pushed the Dorset side back. With Lee Collier dominating the midfield and Williams and Gosling threatening down the flanks Dorchester were forced into defending deeper and deeper. With 12 minutes remaining it looked as if Foster had got City back into the game. He turned past his marker on the edge of the box and fired in a dipping shot that beat Ormerod, only for the crossbar to deny him a deserved strike. Davis reacted first to the rebound but his diving header lacked the pace to beat the recovering keeper. Davis missed another great opening, blasting over after Gosling pass set him free in the box, with five minutes remaining and City were left to concentrate on more important league matters.