Saturday 21 September 2002 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division

In contrast to the rest of the game City started off quite brightly. Frankie Bennett produced a couple of trademark runs but, as is becoming sadly predictable, his crosses failed to pick out a teammate. However, one of these forays down the right flank in the 7th minute ended with a defender blocking his cross away for a corner. Horgan's centre found Gary Kemp at the far post. He connected first time on the volley only to see the post deny him his first strike for City. The rebound was blasted over the bar by Cleverley. Minutes later a strong run from Jim Rollo saw him shoot weakly straight at Nicholls. The next opening fell to Horgan after he found space in the Chelmsford area. He rightly choose to attempt to lob the out of position keeper but failed to get enough height on the effort to find the net. After this promising start City slowly began to run out of steam and the visitors came into the game without ever really threatening Mark Bryant's goal. When they did finally create a chance on 37 minutes it was down to a mistake by Mike Trought. The centre-back's poor clearance fell to Keevill and, although he recovered well to block the first shot the ball fell kindly to Cross. With a clear shot at goal he only managed to curl the ball two yards wide. This was Trought's last meaningful involvement as he limped off three minutes later to be replaced by Andy Minturn. Three minutes before the break City had another lucky escape when Cross converted Slatter's low centre only for a linesman flag to (eventually) halt the celebrations. This luck deserted City before the interval though when Kemp's header, after Milsom had flicked on Horgan's corner, clipped the top of the bar.

City's appalling luck with injury continued at half time when Milsom failed to return for the second half due to illness. The far from fully fit Eaton took his place for the second period. Gray sliced a good chance wide within a couple of minutes of the restart before Cleverley returned the favour, nodding Kemp's headed centre over the bar. What turned out to be the decisive goal arrived on 51 minutes. A deep cross found Keevil and his neat header was fired into the roof of Bryant's net by Cross. The Clarets were now more than content to sit back on this advantage and leave it up to City to find a way back into the game. And despite over a third of the game remaining they never really looked like doing it. With Bennett becoming more and more a peripheral figure on the right flank and Andy Williams getting no joy against the experienced Statham down the left City's attacking options were almost non-existent. The usual arrival of Ellis Wilmot midway through the half had no impact on proceedings. Cleverley's wayward shot after 75 minutes summed up the lack of threat to Nicolls goal. In the end it was left to captain Gary Thorne to come closest to grabbing an equaliser. He pulled off at the far post to recieve Harvey's high cross but his header was scrambled away via Nicholls legs. This was the last moment of danger for the Essex side and the remainder of the game was a fustrating non-event for the home supporters. It has to get better next week.