Jez George may have stated that he’s not interested in the Milton Road manager’s job on a full time basis but after this crucial win over high-flying Stafford, which means the Lilywhites remain unbeaten in all of his three games in charge, the City board may well be asking him to reconsider.

A pre-match injury to the referee’s assistant caused a 15 minute delay, although neither side seemed too disturbed as both settled well, passed the ball accurately and provided a bright opening period despite a lack of any real goalmouth action.

City created the first opening after 10 minutes. A lofted Colin Vowden clearance found Rob Nightingale in the inside-left position on the edge of the box. His knock down fell invitingly for Robbie Simpson but the young striker shot wide of the target.

In the visitors first meaningful attack Richard Beale shot wide of the target from distance. Three minutes later Stafford worked ball down the left and played in Paul Szewczyk on the edge of the box. The former Stourbridge striker showed good balance, evading two challenges and cutting inside before firing high over the City goal.

On 17 minutes Alex Gibson made a good forward run and crossed from wide on the right. His centre bounced high and showing good technique Daniel Davidson got over the ball and fired across goal, the ball being deflected behind for a corner.

The game was evenly contested and City soon hit back. On 20 minutes an excellent passing move involving Hayes and Skelly down the left freed Simpson in centre field. Showing good vision the striker played an angled ground pass inside Beale and into the path of the advancing Sturgess, whose low drive was comfortably gathered by Ryan Price.

Five minutes later and City, adding confidence and fluidity to the commitment and determination of recent weeks again crafted a decent opening. Patient play by the impressive Che Wilson, who passed the ball intelligently throughout, found Rob Nightingale in the centre of the park. The skipper laid the ball off to Hayes wide on the left. Hayes in turn swung in a perfectly flighted cross towards Simpson whose diving effort was headed behind by Wayne Daniel, the tall defender doing well to avert the danger.

Rangers were quick to counter and only a minute later Davidson’s intelligent lay off freed Robert Heath but with a good sight of goal the former Stoke midfielder couldn’t keep his shot down. Davidson was again involved four minutes later when a slick one-two with the influential Robin Gibson presented the tall no. 10 with a shooting opportunity which had Martin Davies scrambling across goal.

The game was fiercely contested in midfield and refreshingly City held their own, showing a more competitive edge than has been apparent on some occasions earlier in the season. On 37 minutes however Rob Nightingale was adjudged to be late with a untidy looking challenge on Richard Beale and earned himself a yellow card.

City then had to endure a testing few minutes as half-time approached. Firstly as Stafford worked the ball into the centre from the left Shane Wardley lost out to Heath on the edge of the box but Martin Davies reacted smartly to avert the danger. Then, immediately as the ball was cleared, Lee Barrow headed back powerfully into City territory. The ball was picked up by Robin Gibson who ran menacingly at the Lilywhites’ back line before feeding Davidson who could only shoot wide.

The half ended however with City’s best chance to break the deadlock. A Jack Wignall headed clearance was collected by Rob Nightingale on the right. Spotting that Danny Bloomfield had half a yard on the turning Wayne Daniel he lofted the ball over the top for the pacey front man to chase. Daniel didn’t give up the chase however and his presence was enough to force Bloomfield to fire over the target when he may have felt he should have at least tested Price.

As the second period started the game fell into a similar pattern to that of the opening 45 minutes. With Stafford possessing height in every department, City chose to work the ball through the wide midfield players, Sturgess and Hayes, in order to provide decent service to the strikers. Stafford, by contrast, were direct, uncomplicated and efficient. Their tactic of getting the ball forward at the earliest opportunity meeting with limited success as they failed to spring a well-drilled offside trap coupled with the fact that Jack Wignall and Colin Vowden dealt with an imposing aerial threat superbly throughout.

On 50 minutes Davidson saw a glimmer of opportunity chasing one such through ball when he appeared to have the chance to beat an advancing Davies but he could only poke the ball behind for a goal kick.

Four minutes later the impressive Robbie Simpson, showing some neat touches and gaining in confidence by the minute, turned skilfully inside Barrow and created the space for a shot from the left hand edge of the box. Unfortunately the finish wasn’t up to the quality of the approach work and the ball drifted wide.

With the second half 10 minutes old came the moment that changed the course of the match. Davidson and Vowden contested an aerial ball, the pair tangled and the visitors were awarded a free-kick. As the City defender fell to the floor there appeared to be contact from Davidson which angered several City players. With the referee less than 10 yards away Davidson then struck Rob Nightingale in the face. As Mr Cann attempted to restore order tempers became frayed and the match, which up until that point had been hard, competitive but clean boiled over with several more players becoming involved. In the aftermath Davidson received an inevitable straight red card. It was a shame for him because he had played very well up until that point but his actions left the referee with no option.

For the next few minutes Stafford seemed visibly rattled and started to mis-place passes and concede possession. City needed to capitalise and they did. As the hour mark approached Adie Hayes swung in a right-sided corner which the visitors could only partially clear. The alert Hayes was the first to react clipping the ball back towards the far post where Colin Vowden climbed highest and forced his header home through a crowd of players. Not the prettiest goal seen at Milton Road this season but it may prove to be one of the most vital.

With City looking to consolidate they were forced to re-organise only five minutes later. Richard Skelly limping out of the action to be replaced by Leon Gutzmore. City were now looking to maximise every opportunity that came their way. On 68 minutes Hayes curled a free kick, awarded in the centre of the pitch some 25 yards out, narrowly wide of the left hand upright.

With just over 20 minutes remaining Craig McAughtrie replaced Robert Heath.

City already had one eye on the clock and a priceless three points. Sitting deeper the Lilywhites relied on the pace of the strikers to relieve the pressure and eat up valuable time. On 70 minutes Simpson, who produced another performance that should cement his place in the first team, turned superbly away from Craig Lovatt only to be felled from behind when clear of his man. The frustration of the Stafford midfielder earning him a yellow card. More tellingly it illustrated that City had a plan which was working and without their most dangerous striker, Stafford, defeated only 3 times in their first 21 league games, couldn’t find a way back into the contest.

With 15 minutes to go, Che Wilson, filling in impressively at right back angled a free kick towards the left hand edge of the box which Gutzmore headed back across goal, the stretching Danny Bloomfield narrowly failing to connect. Three minutes later it was Gutzmore again striving to impress in first team action. Showing great pace in the outside right position he motored clear of Barrow only to cut the ball back agonisingly behind Simpson and Bloomfield who had raced into the box. City looked good for a second and decisive goal at this point. With a little over 10 minutes to go Rob Nightingale, again relishing the captain’s armband, worked himself space down the inside left channel and angled the ball into Bloomfield whose snap-shot on the turn was heading for the bottom right hand corner of the net before Price, at full stretch, tipped the ball away athletically with his left hand.

Stafford continued to press but were largely limited to long range efforts such was the organisation and discipline of City’s back line. On 80 minutes Beale collected a throw from the right hand side but, with no other options opening up, fired high over the bar.

As Mark Jones replaced Alex Gibson Stafford took a quick free kick wide on the left. The ball was worked to Robin Gibson who took weaved his way to the by-line and then cut dangerously into the box, the ball eventually being forced behind by more resolute defence.

With 84 minutes on the clock Stafford mounted their last meaningful attack (in the build up Wignall felled Lovatt and was carded at the next break in play). The ball was worked from the right into the box and with the tricky Robin Gibson again evading the challenges of City defenders it was Martin Davies who thwarted the danger by smothering at the feet of the former Wrexham striker.

There was still time for Ben Petty to collect a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Nightingale and for City to run down the clock by swapping Bloomfield for Kevin Wilkin but Mr Cann’s final whistle signalled City’s first home win since the demolition of Tiverton nearly three months ago.

It is still too early to make any predictions about the remainder of the season since there is still much uncertainty over the position of manager, however, if Jez George’s tenure is only to be temporary he’s certainly creating the best possible platform for the new incumbent of the Milton Road hot-seat to build on.