Tuesday 4 March 2003 - Twerton Park - kick off 7.45pm Dr Martens Premier Division

Almost from the word go the visitors seemed to be intent on slowing the game down as much as possible although ironically they could have grabbed an early lead. An eleventh minute scramble in the City box saw Coupe block Zahana-Oni's shot - optimistic penalty appeals by the Hastings players rightly having no effect on the referee - and Bryant doing well to parry the follow-up from the same player. A Flannagan shot straight at Bryant and Yates's cross that flew across the face of goal saw United continue to threaten but slowly City began to gain a grip on the game. With Stuart James producing his best performance since his return to Twerton Park and Andy Williams looking back to his best after a quiet game against Chelmsford chances began to come City's way. A neat turn by Jason Eaton on 19 minutes saw him test keeper King with a low shot before James's low centre just eluded both City's top scorer and Frankie Bennett. The best chance of the half for City fell to Eaton after 37 minutes. Another accurate James cross picked him out only for his header to fly the wrong side of the post. The visitors ended the half in a similar way to the start with Bryant twice called into action - first tipping Simmonds inswinging corner to safety and then turning Yates's shot into the side netting.

If overall the first half had been a fairly even encounter the second was all City as they pressed Hastings further and further back into their own half. A poor clearance fell to Williams just three minutes after the interval only for City's player of the season elect to drag his shot well wide. Jim Rollo's 65th minute finish failed to match the neat way he created the chance and Mike Trought nodded a James corner over four minutes later. Williams forced a good stop from King and Rollo's saw another shot blocked by defender Platford. On 70 minutes City made a change up front, Dave Toomey replacing the tiring Bennett, but this had little effect and seven minutes later they made another change with Gosling making way for Shore. This time the impact was almost immediate as within two minutes the new arrival won the game for City. It was only his second touch when he collected the ball 20-yards out but it was a stunning one as his left-foot drive flew past King into the net via the inside of the post. Suddenly Hasings had to search for an equaliser and they showed that had they risked a more positive approach from the start the result could have been very different. Within 30 seconds of the goal Remy shot wide and then Zahana-Oni blasted over, although a linesmans flag would have ruled out a better finish. With a minute remaining all City supporters were left holding their breath as Bevis looped a shot over Bryant. For an agonising moment it appeared to be dropping into the corner of the net but it fell inches wide of the goal. Moments later the referee's whistle signalled the end of the game and City could celebrate a deserved but hard-fought, and ultimately tense, victory.