Saturday 28 February 2004 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division

With Frankie Bennett failing to shake off the knock he received at Moor Green it was new loan signing Jamie Cook who partnered top scorer Scott Partridge up front. Steve Tweddle, who started at Nuneaton, dropping to the bench. This was this only change from the side that beat the Moors but the performance was as far removed from that outing as possible. The opening exchanges gave a clue to the final outcome as neither side produced anything worthwhile. With the impetus on City to lift their game it was worrying that the first shot on goal was an off-target effort by Chelmsford’s Penfold. This did seem to finally wake City up and a 21st minute corner almost gave them the lead. Bobby Ford’s centre was headed goalwards by Steve Jones and, when it was initially blocked, the same player saw a second effort deflected wide. It was becoming clear that Chelmsford were far and away the poorest side to face them this season but it was equally obvious that City were struggling to take advantage of this. And they almost gifted them the lead when the otherwise impeccable Sam Bailey left a defensive header short. Cross knocked it onto Penfold but his shot was straight at Paul Evans. The games defining moment arrived around the half hour mark as City wasted their best opening seconds before Chelmsford took the lead. Jim Rollo won the ball in midfield before sending Partridge clear on goal. He elected to use power and flashed a shot wide of the goal. From the resultant goal kick the ball found Cross and he ran almost unchallenged into the City area. Evans came out and blocked the midfielder’s shot only for it to loop toward goal. Steve Jenkins tried to clear but it dropped perfectly for Faulkner to head home from a couple of yards out. A lucky goal, and the only way Chelmsford had looked likely to score, but it was enough to mean they could now sit back and look to defend what threat City could produce. Jones saw another header saved by Nicholls two minutes after the goal and Cook had optimistic penalty appeals turned down after he went to ground far too easily. After 38 minutes a rare moment of class from City saw Darren Hawkins send a stunning left-foot volley narrowly wide.

Any hope that City would come out after the interval lifted by Gary Owers’ half time talk was soon dispelled as they failed to find a way past the visitors packed rearguard. Partridge almost got onto the end of a low Jenkins cross on 52 minutes and Cook showed his bravery challenging Nicholls for dangerous high ball. He came off second in this encounter and this was fast becoming the case in the game overall. In fact City were fortunate not to fall further behind when Evans scuffed an attempted clearance straight to Penfold. The striker should have buried the chance but in keeping with his team wasn’t good enough. Twice within a minute midway through the half further half chances came and went for City. Cook completely missed his shot after Partridge had flicked Matt Coupe’s free kick to him and then Partridge himself shot wide after a strong run. With 15 minutes remaining Coupe was replaced by Tweddle allowing Cook to switch to his more natural wide left position. A promising run shortly after this change suggested a late rally but in keeping with the whole game this proved to be another false dawn. The closing stages saw City fail to create any more worthwhile openings and even the referee could tell the game was up, ending proceedings almost exactly on 90 minutes despite understandable time-wasting from the visitors.