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Tuesday 11 March 2003 - Twerton Park - kick off 7.45pm Dr Martens Premier Division 
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| half-time: 0-0 | result: L0-1 | attendance: 552 |
| team: | Bryant, Shore, Coupe, Milsom (c) (Toomey 55), Kemp, Rollo, Gosling (Jefferies 82), Harvey, Eaton, Bennett, Williams. subs not used: Honor, Cleverley, Foster. |
| man of the match: | Andy Williams |
| scorers: | none |
| bookings: | Shore (36) |
| officials: | to follow |
| league position: 8th | form: WDLWdL | next match: Dover (H) |
Facing Stafford Rangers, one of the few sides still in with a chance, however unlikely, of catching runaway league leaders Tamworth, City found themselves crucially lacking that extra edge of class to record a victory. For all their effort and committment, and there was plenty on display, plus a more than fair share of possession the visitors 63rd minute strike from Downes always looked enough to allow Rangers to move back into second place. With Iain Harvey suspended, Stuart James injured and Mike Trought ill City were forced into making three changes to the side that drew with Grantham on Saturday. Matt Coupe, Drew Shore and Jamie Gosling were all restored to the starting place, which meant Jim Rollo was asked to fufill an unfamiliar right-wing back role.
Before the changed line-up had had a chance to settle the visitors almost grabbed the lead. Milsom, who had one of his poorest outings in a City shirt, gave the ball away to Gibson. He had a clear run on goal but Mark Bryant rescued his skipper with a smart block. Bailey then fired a shot narrowly wide as Stafford maintained their strong start. Lovatt and Gibson also saw efforts fail to trouble Bryant and eventually City began to break the shackles. Frankie Bennett was felled by Daniel on 22 minutes and Gosling curled the 20 yard free kick inches wide with Price well beaten. A neat back heel by Rollo almost set Gosling free but he was easily beaten to the ball Daniel. This became a recurring theme as City struggled to find a way through Stafford's large and physical back line. City's likeliest source of an opening was Andy Williams but time and time again Bennett and Jason Eaton were comfortably beaten to his probings. The half ended with the visitors coming within a crossbars width of taking the lead. Davidson's looping header from Downes's cross beat Bryant but not the frame of the goal.
Stafford started the second period strongly as Gibson and Davidson both shot wide before Gibson's low free-kick just eluded Bailey and was hacked away by Gary Kemp. The 55th minute saw Milsom finally put out of his misery to be replaced by Dave Toomey. He joined Eaton up front with Bennett switching to the right but this change had little immediate effect and eight minutes later Stafford took the lead. Gibson's corner picked out Downes on the edge of the City box and his low shot flew through a crowd of players and an unsighted Bryant to end up in the corner of the net. City's response was almost instant. A minute later a Shore free-kick wasn't cleared properly and the ball dropped invitingly to Kemp. His shot was well struck but Ryan was equal to it. With Stafford happy to sit back on their single goal advantage City now dominated but all the possession in the world is useless if there is no end product. Kemp and Toomey both blasted high over the bar after a neat build-up but this was a close as City came to finding an equaliser. Stafford almost grabbed a second goal in the closing minutes, Coupe blocking Murphy's cross-shot for a corner, and whilst this would have flattered them it mattered little as the final whistle signalled the end of City's hopes.