Saturday 5 February 2005 - Amy Lane - kick off 3.00pm Southern League Premier Division

Once again Gary Owers rang the changes in personnel and formation following the goalless draw at Rugby earlier in the week. Out went Russell Milton, Steve Jones and Luke Corbett to be replaced by Owers himself, Darren Hawkins and Jimmy Benefield. And he also reverted back to a 4-4-2 line-up with Alex Sykes partnering John Williams up front. However, all these adjustments counted for little as the home side went ahead from their first attack after just five minutes. A poor clearance by Matt Coupe was returned toward Lawford and the league’s top scorer easily held off Sam Bailey to lift the ball past Paul Evans. Rocked by this setback, and facing a side who had scored six, seven and eight times in league games this season, the former just the previous Saturday at Tiverton, City were suddenly staring a long afternoon in the face. Yet for all their possession after the goal City stood firm with Coupe redeeming himself with several excellently timed challenges and Bailey looking equally assured alongside him. Only on the half hour was Paul Evans called into serious action when Lawford got the better of Bailey to fire in a shot. It looked destined for the corner of the net but Evans stretched his full 6’4 frame to turn it around the post. Apart from an early optimistic penalty shout for handball by Sweeney, City had spent most of the first 30 minutes on the defensive but slowly Owers and Bobby Ford began to exert more influence in the middle of the pitch bringing City into the game. Even though they had stemmed the Chesham tide somewhat it was still a surprise when City drew level seven minutes before the interval. Graeme Power lifted a cross into United’s box where Hawkins flicked it onto Benefield. He was allowed the time and space to turn and fire a low shot past Jackson from just six yards out.

City were forced into making a change during the interval – Jones replacing Bailey - but it was clear from the restart that the balance of play had swung toward City. Owers was leading the City charge and it was his pass that almost gave Williams a shooting chance on 54 minutes only for his first touch to let him down. Then a foul on the player-manager 25-yards out saw Ford bring a smart save out of Jackson from the free-kick. City were now comfortably marshalling Lawford and just past the hour mark they should have gone ahead. A perfectly weighted pass by Ford sent Williams racing clear on goal. He looked certain to score only for Jackson to deny him with a great block. Williams’ reaction showed how good a chance it had been but he did not let his head drop and eight minutes later turned provider as his stunning back-heel saw Benefield fire in a shot that grazed the goal frame. This was a close as City would come to scoring and they had a few nervous moments in the games closing stages. Sippett’s and Lawford combined well to see Scarlett shoot just wide and then Lawford was given too much room on the edge of City’s box only for Evans to tip his drive behind. It would have been hard on City had they lost the game late on although at the final whistle it was still difficult to tell if the game was one point gained or two lost.