Despite the pressure, City could find no way through, mainly because of an inspired goalkeeping display from Mario Ziccardi. Ziccardi was constantly in the thick of the action and although he rode his luck on one or two occasions, he left the field to a standing ovation, City just left cursing their luck.
City got off to the worst possible start when they fell behind after only four minutes. Colin Vowden's push on Rick Ranshaw provided a perfect opportunity for Jim Neil to curl a free-kick into the danger area. This he did, City's defenders and goalkeeper left it to each other and Brendan McDaid powered home a comfortable header. Clearly rattled, City nearly fell further behind five minutes later when a neat one-two between Ranshaw and Gary Bull provided a crossing chance for the latter, McDaid only just failing to convert at the far post. City tried to counter but failed to make any inroads and Gratham looked likely to score each time they regained possession. A swift break saw Chris Hall in behind the City defence but Martin Davies came to the rescue, turning his effort away for a corner. Ten minutes on, Bull saw his header from a left wing cross drop just the wrong side of the post with Davies well beaten as City continued to look extremely shaky.
Having survived the twenty odd minutes since going behind with no further additions to the scoreline, City began to settle and come more onto the game. Leon Gutzmore looked lively up front but too often was the victim of a slightly fussy referee. On the flanks, Matt Clements and Adam Wilde probed the Grantham defence. It took until seven minutes from the interval for City to produce their first meaningful strike at goal. Che Wilson, making his full debut since joining from Bristol Rovers, found Gutzmore with a headed pass and the frontman wasted no time hitting a dipping volley that forced Ziccardi into a superb diving save to turn it over the bar. A minute later Steve Holden headed over while under pressure as the half finished on a high for the visitors.
Following the break City started positively, forcing Grantham back, which at times resulted in some less than convincing defending from the home side as more than one erratic clearance shot into the night sky. Despite this the men from Milton Road were not creating chances, in fact it was Grantham who almost extended their lead when Hall finished a long run with a low shot that Davies was forced to turn behind for a corner. It took twenty five second half minutes to see City finally begin to make their superiority pay. A fine shot from Clements pulled the best from the home keeper as the winger's 25 yard effort looked destined for the far corner. Three minutes later an interception and shot from Tim Wooding was again repelled at full stretch by Ziccardi.
City were now beginning to turn the screw and only another two minutes passed before Ziccardi was again called upon. A long Wooding throw was flicked on at the near post by Darren Collins, the 'keeper only just prevented it from entering the net but lost control of the ball, unfortunately for City, the loose ball managed to avoid everyone in a blue shirt. City could be forgiven for thinking their luck really was out when a 78th minute Wooding free-kick struck the bar with Ziccardi rooted to his line. Soon after the visitors had a good claim for a penalty turned down when Ziccardi appeared to bring down Holden as the two went for a loose ball following a goalmouth melee, having survived the appeal, the 'keeper quickly sprung to his feet to beat away Wilson's near post follow up.
As the game entered it's final ten minutes Clements again saw a shot saved, Ziccardi plucking the ball out of the air as it arrowed towards the top corner. The 'keeper was even called into action by his own defender as a backpass header was just prevented from becoming an embarrasing own goal. Two minutes from time, Manager Dave Batch sacrificed a defender for an attacker, sending on Kevin Wilkin for Holden but it made little difference as The Gingerbreads held on to record their second win of the season, finishing with somewhat of a flourish as former King's Lynn striker Jamie Clarke took advantage of City's lack of numbers at the back to force Davies to block with his feet what would have been an undeserved goal deep into injury time.
