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Saturday 8 November 2003 - Keys Park - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division 
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| half-time: 0-2 | result: L0-4 | attendance: 521 |
| team: | Bryant, Coupe, Jones (c), Jenkins, Shore, Milton, Bennett, Owers, Cleverley, Tweddle (Eaton 61), Carter (Bridges 82). subs not used: Trought, Howarth, Rollo. |
| man of the match: | Danny Cleverley |
| scorers: | none |
| bookings: | Coupe (70), Jenkins (84) |
| officials: | L Hodgson (Nuneaton), T James, J Mayhew |
| league position: 21st | form: LDDLWL | next match: Nuneaton (H) |
If City had hoped the previous weekends FA Trophy victory at Mangotsfield would signal a change in their league fortunes they were be disappointed. Realistically a win over a 10-man Western Division outfit was hardly a sign of a massive improvement but at the moment you have to take what you can get, and for a tantalising 10 minutes, as City tore into hosts Hednesford Town, it appeared that the result had signalled such a step forward. However, when the in-form Staffordshire based side grabbed the lead with their first attack it all went wrong for City and they were soon heading for yet another heavy defeat.
City showed their intent within 20 seconds of the game’s opening whistle. Alfie Carter’s teasing cross picked out an unmarked Gary Owers but he failed to get his header on target. Dan Cleverley then sent in a curling shot that keeper Young saved well. On six minutes another Carter cross picked out City’s number nine. This time he beat Young with a neat flick only for the ball to crash against the underside of the bar. After ten minutes a free-kick on the edge of the Hednesford box came to nothing and from the resultant attack the home side took the lead. Danks was given acres of space down the right flank and his cross was headed home Anthrobus. City did respond to this blow but suddenly found a keeper in inspired form. The save he produced to deny Steve Tweddle after 23 minutes was top drawer but the effort he produced moments later to push Drew Shore’s cracking 20-yarder out was even better. This seemed to signal to City that it wasn’t going to be their afternoon and soon Hednesford were taking control of the game. Danks and Gray both saw opening come and go and then Palmer headed a clear chance over after 33 minutes. The game went quiet for a spell after this although Town always looked the more threatening and on the stroke of half time they struck for a vital second time. Hines lifted a free-kick into the box where Brindley flicked it past Mark Bryant.
To trail by two goals at the interval was somewhat harsh on City but their failure to reproduce the threat they had earlier soon saw any hopes of finding a way back into the game fade. McGhee had seen a chance fly narrowly wide but with an hour gone there was no such escape as Danks beat a poorly positioned Bryant at his near post. The flu-ridden Tweddle was replaced by Jason Eaton straight after this but his arrival had little impact on City’s toothless attack. He did nearly get on the end of a rare second half Carter cross and then headed the tirelessly working Cleverley’s centre wide. Steve Jenkins also saw a goalbound effort blocked but all these openings were pale shadows of chances compared to the first half efforts. With nineteen minutes remaining City gifted Hednesford a fourth goal. Simkin’s free-kick looked to be comfortably Bryant’s but he inexplicably allowed the ball to pass through his fingers into the net. The game now meandered to it’s conclusion with City never looking likely to find a consolation goal and they were left regretting failing to take their chances when they arrived.