The previous 91 minutes had been a typical City performance as they produced the occasional piece on excellent passing football on a difficult surface, more often looked like a team heading for a place in the Western Division next season and handed their opponents three soft goals and a number of other clear openings. City's line-up showed just one change from the side beaten at Merthyr, top scorer Foster relegated to the bench for fit-again loan striker Dave Gilroy. Before Gilroy had even touched the ball, let alone threatened Stafford's goal, City could have found themselves two goals down. First Wray ran through an AWOL City back line and forced a fine save out of Hervin. From the resultant corner Milsom failed to clear and Simkin should have done better than fire over from six yards out. Even after these escapes City still looked like conceding every time Stafford ventured into their half. On four minutes Hervin was again called into action, blocking Dundas's shot, and three minutes later Wray's long range effort narrowly cleared the bar. City had an even closer escape after eleven minutes when Shaw's strike beat Hervin but not the crossbar. Somehow still level City finally began to create openings of their own. Milsom had already fired one shot straight at Price before getting on the end of a cross by man-of-the-match Andy Williams and managing to clear the bar from just four yards out. When the deadlock was finally broken it was the usually reliable Thorne who gifted Stafford the lead. He should have comfortably cleared Brindley's free kick but his hesitation allowed Shaw to stab the ball past a stranded Hervin. If City were going to fashion an equaliser the most likely source was Williams so it wasn't a real surprise when another strong run seven minutes later saw him centre the ball to Harvey. The midfielder didn't connect cleanly with his shot but it was enough to beat Price via his right hand post.

If City were somewhat fortunate to be level at the interval justice was served after 56 minutes as they found themselves trailing again. Once again it was shocking defending as much as good play from Rangers that led to the goal. Heath's speculative cross found a completely unmarked Dundas and he headed past Hervin with ease. Again City responded through Williams and were level three minutes later. His run into the box was ended by Everitt's clumsy challenge and Gilroy made no mistake from the spot. Just another three minutes had passed when more non-existant defending gave Keily a clear sight of Hervin's goal and Stafford were ahead once more. This time there was no immediate comeback by City as Thorne almost turned Wray's cross into his own net and Hervin produced another fine stop to deny Dundas. City rung the changes Mark Badman and Foster replacing Gary Kemp and Rob Cook, committing men forward, but it all seemed in vain as Rangers continued to look likely to extend their lead. Keily again tested the strength of City's crossbar with a thunderous shot after 76 minutes and five minutes later Eccleston's header was cleared off the goalline by Thorne. So, Stafford had had more than enough chances to have sealed their victory and were punished for their failure to do so when City struck twice in the closing four minutes. A long ball forward by Drysdale found makeshift striker Thorne and, having easily shrugged off Ryder's weak challenge, he went round Price and rolled the ball into the empty net. A minute later City should have scored again, Gilroy somehow mis-timing his header two yards out from an excellent Hale cross. However, this miss was forgotten moments later when he latched onto Thorne's pass and ran clear. His first effort was blocked by keeper Price but he collected the loose ball and calmly lifted it toward Foster who netted the winner from three yards out.