On a heavy pitch City's tatics were clearly to get the ball out wide to wing backs Andy Williams and Jason Drysdale and in the opening exchanges they pressed Stafford back, although they failed to turn this dominance into clear cut chances. A first minute cross from Williams was cleared under pressure by the home defence and Colin Towler headed over after Adrian Foster had flicked on a Drysdale corner a couple of minutes later. The closest City came to opening the scoring in this period was following mistakes by home keeper Price. First he dropped a high ball under pressure from Paul Milsom, only for it to drop kindly for Stafford, and then he flapped at another Drysdale centre but Thorne could only return a header into the lucky keepers arms. However, after this bright start Rangers slowly began to find their way back into the game. In fact, from their first real attack they almost grabbed the lead. A 20th minute Reed free-kick found its way to Ecclestone and his header from just six yards out appeared goal bound. City keeper Johnston had other ideas though, producing a stunning one-handed save to turn the ball behind for a corner. City were then somewhat fortunate to escape a reduction in numbers after Milsom appeared to elbow Everitt. However, the referee took a lenient view and didn't even book the big striker. Further chances came and went for Rangers, Hodgson just failing to reach a Reed cross and Towler clearing a Brindley header off the line, but right on the stroke of half-time they took the lead. At the second attempt Reid managed to get a cross into the City box which Brindly headed back across goal and Kiely poked the ball past Johnston from just two yards out.

The second half comtinued in a similar manner with City struggling to prevent the hosts increasing their lead. Read headed a good chance wide and Kiely's lob fell just over within the opening five minutes of the half. City's forays out of their half were become more and more infrequent but on 56 minutes they made a rare decisive attack and found themselves level. Williams defied the heavy conditions powering forward from in his own half. Having left two defenders trailing in his wake he broke through into the box and, having drawn keeper Price, clipped the ball over him into the net from an acute angle. Brielfy City suddenly looked capable of recapturing their early form but, apart from a Milsom header that Price comfortably gathered, they failed to sustain any real pressure. Staffords main threat was coming from Wray and Ecclestone and it was no surprise when the latter restored his sides lead after 67 minutes. Wilkes began the move before laying the ball of to Wray and he fired a shot past Johnston into the roof of the net. Pridham immediately made two changes, Badman and Thomas replacing Collier and Gosling, but this failed to spark City into life and it was the home side who looked the more likely to add to the scoring, Brindly, Kiely and O'Connor all going close in the final stages. When the final whistle arrived it left City facing an increasingly fraught battle to maintain their place in the Dr Martens Premier Division, one which will continue with another 'six-pointer' against Newport IOW in three days time.