Saturday 20 November 2004 - Newflame Stadium - kick off 3.00pm Southern League Premier Division

With Alex Sykes ruled out due to flu City made one change to the side that won at Barnet, Reinier Moor lining up on the left of midfield. On the bench teenage striker Ricky Hulbert returned following the departure of Steve Tweddle, and Mike Trought was back having overcome his injury. Despite the heavy uneven pitch City started brightly and produced a neat move that ended with Scott Partridge firing inches wide from Gary Owers’ cross. Pritchard then tested Steve Perrin after a neat turn in the City box. This positive start then faded faster than the light over the dismal surroundings of the Newflame Stadium and the Lincolnshire side had little problem in keeping City at bay. Twice on rare forays forward Perrin comfortably held efforts from Pritchard and Butterworth. When City did manage to play the ball over the rare flat parts of the pitch they showed glimpses of the second half performance at Underhill. Moor knocked down the ball from one such move only for Partridge to volley high over the bar. Further half-chances fell to Stamford’s Underwood and Edge but again Perrin was not really stretched in keeping the ball out. With a few minutes remaining in the half City were forced into making a change when Sam Bailey suffered a reoccurrence of his hip injury, Matt Coupe taking his place at the centre of the defence. Right on half time the hosts should have taken the lead. A poor clearance by Bobby Ford allowed Underwood a clear sight of goal but Perrin blocked his shot and Steve Jones completed the clearance.

Realising that trying to play football on such a poor surface was close to impossible City took a more direct approach after the interval and this soon began to pay dividends. Just two minutes into the half John Williams freed Jimmy Benefield to fire in an effort that keeper Watts blocked well. Five minutes later City had the ball in the net when Owers headed home a Ford corner only for the referee to rule it out for a foul by the player-manager. The next threat came when Moor sent in a great cross from the left that Benfield just failed to apply a finishing touch. Perrin was now largely a spectator although he did have to be alert to race off his line ahead of Ashby. On 73 minutes Graeme Power picked out Partridge in the Stamford area but his shot lacked the pace to beat Watts. It began to look like it would not be City’s afternoon when Owers won another header from a Ford corner only for this effort to hit the top of the bar. Perrin held a well-struck free-kick at the second attempt moments later before City created two further chances in the closing minutes. Williams’ flick fell to Partridge who turned his marker but shot straight at Watts. Then in the final minute Moor ran onto a great through ball from Ford but again Watts was equal to the task and blocked his fairly tame strike. The deathly silence that enveloped the ground at the final whistle was fitting given the surroundings and proceeding 90 minutes but if the scoreline is repeated in two weeks time just down the A1 expect a slightly more excited reaction.