Tuesday 9 November 2004 - Twerton Park - kick off 7.45pm Southern League Premier Division

City received a blow before kick-off when top scorer John Williams was ruled out due to a migraine. His spot up front was taken by Saturday’s hero Reinier Moor which was the only change from the side that triumphed at Tiverton. He looked to continue where he had left off at Ladymead and his direct running caused the home defence problems early on. Moves involving the former Exeter City striker saw Gary Owers and Alex Sykes test keeper Young in the opening ten minutes. Scott Partridge also fired over after a neat lay-off by Moor but after this bright start City faded. The Pitman saw the majority of possession after this but failed to really stretch City’s defence. Williams did volley one opening narrowly wide and then Maguire’s 25-yard shot bounced awkwardly in front of Steve Perrin but he gathered it well. Apart from this the remainder of the half seemed to consist of Partridge slipping over and Moor retying his boot laces!

So the first half had done little to keep the cold out of the sparse 373 crowd, including nearly 30 City fans that had made the long midweek trip, but the game livened up almost immediately after the interval. The hosts were the first to show when Williams was sent clear down the right flank. He only had Perrin to beat but the loan keeper was equal to the task and blocked the shot. City’s response was swift and effective as two minutes later they took the lead. A break on the right saw Jim Rollo reach the byline and although his low cross was missed by Partridge, following him in was Sykes and he made no mistake from six yards out. Moor, Partridge and Sykes all then spurned chances to increase City’s lead and nine minutes after the goal Hednesford drew level. Once again it was City’s weakness to a direct ball that proved their undoing. Maguire flicked on a long ball forward and Bell held off Steve Jones before firing past Perrin. The game now swung toward the home side and they won a series of free-kicks and corners that City desperately managed to repel. On 67 minutes Turner was allowed to run forward unchallenged and send in a low shot that beat Perrin by not his left-hand post. Three minutes later McSweeny’s late challenge on Mike Trought saw the City defender forced to limp from the action, although not before he was booked for retaliation. This began a bizarre final 20 minutes for the referee Mr Aston and he awarded a series of bewildering decisions in favour of the home side and began to book practically anything in a red shirt. Having amassed just 15 cautions in their 18 games this season, another four players, Bobby Ford, Graeme Power, Owers and Sam Bailey, all followed Trought into the book. The game itself now swung from end to end as both sides looked to grab a late winner. Rollo has to be alert to deny Turner and then Power burst into the box only for Young to push away his shot at the near post. With six minutes remaining City’s left-back came even closer to finding the net. The ball broke to him on the edge of the box and he unleashed a stunning shot that Young barely even saw. However, luck was on his side twice, as the ball crashed against the inside of the post before rebounding against the keeper and finally being hacked to safety. One further chance fell to the Pitman, Brannan blasting a free-kick high over the bar, before the referee ended proceedings right on 90 minutes, leaving City with a missed opportunity to close the gap on the early season pacesetters.