Saturday 19 October 2002 - Park View Road - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division

Long before all this excitement the first half was a largely forgettable affair, with whistle-happy referee Mr Smith preventing either side gaining any momentum. It took 20 minutes for either side to even create a half chance. Andy Williams created this opening beating his marker down the left flank before sending a cross over that Eaton met with an acrobatic overhead effort that flew well wide. All the home side could offer in response was an optimistic 30-yard shot that flashed past Mark Bryant's right hand post. City did finally up their tempo in the closing five minutes of the half. A series of corners were won without ever really threatening before Andy Minturn's low drive was spilled by Knight only for the keeper to recover well and block Eaton's follow up. He also produced another point-blank save from the same player although a linesmans flag would have ruled out the chance.

If City had hoped to continue after the interval in the same vein they were to be disappointed as the Kent side produced their best period of the match. Williams' lucky escape, after a Standen cross had beaten Bryant, clearly buoyed Welling and Thorne produced a couple of excellent blocks to deny Standen and then Powell. Minturn earned a caution for a foul on Powell after 55 minutes as City struggled to keep United out but five minutes later they grabbed the lead. Jim Rollo won the ball near the halfway line and released Dan Cleverley down the right. His cross picked out Eaton and although his shot appeared to be headed wide a huge deflection off Seabury saw the ball gently roll into the net. Clearly shaken by this blow the hosts suddenly tried to kick anything in a black and white (or orange) shirt. Jones earned the first booking for his lunge at Bryant after 65 minutes. Two minutes later and Oboagye went one better and received a straight red for a two-footed tackle on Minturn. Jones could have followed him in the afters to this incident as could Burgess when he flattened Stuart James almost straight after play restarted. City refused to be drawn into retaliation and with 15 minutes remaining doubled their lead. Willams cut into the box and was halted by Seabury's clumsy challenge. The penalty was duly converted by Eaton. Three minutes later City struck again. Not surprisingly another Welling foul some 25-yards out lead to the goal. Thorne stepped up and capped an excellent performance by drilling a fierce shot into the corner of the net. Sub Frankie Bennett, rested in place of new arrival James, almost set up a fourth goal on 87 minutes. He rounded Knight before crossing toward Iain Harvey and Adrian Foster. They seemed to get in each others way and the formers sliced effort bounced back off the bar. The game finished on a slightly sour note when keeper Bryant was sent off for handling outside his area. It had reached stoppage time when he came racing out to block Nade's attempted lob. The referee initially appeared to be happy contact had been made in the area but a late linemans flag indicated otherwise and a red card was the predicatable outcome. Thorne took over the keepers jersey but his only task was to watch Farley's well-struck kick fly into the roof of the net as moments later the referee brought the game to an end. City's attention could now fully turn to bigger and better opponents, but hopefully a similar outcome.