Saturday 27 November 2004 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm FA Trophy 2nd Round

Winger Sykes was the only change from the side that drew 0-0 with Stamford the previous Saturday, relegating Reinier Moor to the bench, having recovered from flu and put family illness to the back of his mind for the afternoon. Having already disposed of Conference South opposition in the shape of Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup this season City went into the game confident but it was the visitors who started off brighter. Just three minutes in Stone beat Bailey and picked out Marvell on the edge of the box. His well-struck shot brought the first of a number of excellent saves out of loan keeper Steve Perrin. The resultant corner found an unmarked Boeteng but he failed to get his header on target. City mounted their first attack on eleven minutes when Jimmy Benefield slid in on John Williams’ cross. Unfortunately his shot did not have the power to beat keeper Searle. Carshalton responded through a Saunders free-kick that Perrin could only punch up into the air. Steve Jones came to his rescue, hooking the ball away from under the bar. City’s resistance was finally broken on 18 minutes when Cyrus got onto the end of another Saunders set-piece to head firmly past Perrin. Five minutes later the overworked keeper was again called into action, tipping Boeteng’s volley over the bar after a corner was only half-cleared. Twice Partridge almost broke clear of Carshalton’s backline but it looked as if City’s FA Trophy hopes were dead and buried on 29 minutes when the fell further behind. Perrin had turned Saunders shot away for another corner and from that kick the ball was cleared to the same player. He swung it back into the danger zone where it eluded everyone to curl into the corner of the net. With the travelling fans already in celebratory mood the result should have been put beyond all doubt by Marvell only for his spectacular miss to change the course of the game. Bobby Ford almost broke his duck for City with a blistering shot that Searle blocked well but it was teenage defender Bailey who was soon celebrating his first goal in City colours. Sykes’ left-wing corner picked him out near the penalty spot and he made no mistake with a firm header.

It was clear from the opening exchanges of the second half that City were suddenly the team in control, although another set-piece saw York shoot narrowly wide for Athletic. This turned out to be almost the final threat from the Surrey side and City’s dominance finally paid dividends on the hour mark. A quick throw by Perrin sent Gary Owers racing up the middle of the pitch. The Carshalton defence desperately tried to hold a line and play Partridge offside but he timed his run to perfection. With just Searle to beat he calmly slid the ball past the keeper at his near post. Ironically, now back on level terms the last thing City wanted was a replay ahead of their big FA Cup date at Peterborough United next Saturday but just twelve minutes later this worry was receding when they went ahead. They won a free-kick 25 yards out which Owers rolled to Sykes. He took a touch to avoid an onrushing defender then drilled a stunning shot past Searle into the bottom corner. Graeme Power shot wide on a venture forward from defence as City looked to wrap the game up and with eight minutes left they did just that. A ball forward looked to be of little danger but Costello and Searle hesitated which allowed Sykes to nip in and lift the ball past the stranded keeper. There was one nervous moment for City before time when Perrin miscued a clearance only to recover and claim Marvell’s eventual shot, leaving the Romans with another £3000 safely in the bank and an even bigger prize to play for in seven days time – a place in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup.