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Saturday 16 August 2003 - New Lodge - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division 
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| half-time: 0-0 | result: D0-0 | attendance: 312 |
| team: | Bryant, Coupe, Shore, Trought (c), Howarth, Rollo, Bennett, Milton, Milsom (Eaton 62), Tweddle (Cleverley 75), Williams. subs not used: Salter, Jefferies, Bridges. |
| man of the match: | Adam Howarth |
| scorers: | none |
| bookings: | Howarth (33) |
| officials: | T Mason (Sidcup), P Faithfull, B Hartland |
| league position: 14th | form: -----d | next match: Weston (H) |
If after just ten minutes a game has ever had nil-nil written all over it then this was it. While neither City nor their opponents Chelmsford City could be faulted for effort on a blazing hot opening Saturday to the season the fact that in the whole 90 minutes they could only manage one shot on target each said much about the game. In fact with the home side playing just Watkins up front, packing five players into midfield, it seemed their aim right from the outset was to make the game as tight as possible. City, to their credit, at least tried to be a bit more positive but with their most creative players, Andy Williams, Frankie Bennett and debutant Russell Milton, crowded out in the middle of the pitch they failed to impose this approach on the game.
Before the game began its inevitable downward spiral Milton was twice give the luxury of time and space on the ball but he saw a first effort charged down and the second fly harmlessly wide of the goal. City’s other new player Adam Howarth appeared to handle the ball in his area after 10 minutes only for the home sides penalty appeals to be waved away by the referee. Despite the lack of service City’s front two of Steve Tweddle and Paul Milsom were working hard and a foul on the former just outside the box led to City’s clearest chance of the half on 24 minutes. Shore’s low struck effort was blocked before falling into the path of Matt Coupe. He was only 12 yards out but failed to trouble keeper Nicholls with a rising shot. Tweddle then dragged another half-chance wide after a neat pass from Milsom. Having been on the defensive for the majority of the half the Clarets finished strongly. An unmarked Edwards could only turn a Norman free-kick wide and six minutes before the interval Cross headed a great chance over the bar.
The second half began with Bennett’s one telling run of the game as he easily outpaced his marker. His cross was flapped at by Nicholls only for Tweddle to fire the loose ball wide. Milton also shot wide from another Bennett pass after 57 minutes but chances were becoming fewer and fewer on either side. Milsom limped off five minutes later to be replaced by last seasons top scorer Jason Eaton but his arrival had little impact on the game. With 20 minutes remaining Mark Bryant was forced into his first save of the match, calmly catching Wignall’s optimistic volley. Tweddle was soon substituted for Dan Cleverley but he was no more accurate than his predecessor, shooting over from 25 yards. It wasn’t until stoppage time that City finally managed their only on-target shot. Milton’s effort was well-struck but straight at Nicholls and that ensured the game reached the conclusion that had never looked otherwise in the preceding 90 minutes.