Three sloppy goals conceded left City with too high a mountain to climb in this game against Championship chasing Tamworth, although had City taken their chances on offer the game could have been far closer than it eventually was. The visitors forced seven first half corners and were awarded four free-kicks around the penalty area, but not once was home 'keeper Darren Acton forced into a worthwhile save. City were combative and at times effective, never outplayed, but The Lambs always had the edge that made the difference.

City were without Che Wilson who failed to win his fitness battle, Richard Skelly replacing him as he did at Worthing the week before and new signing Dan French was given his debut.

Both sides threatened in the early minutes. Tamworth striker Mark Hallam headed a Rob warner cross straight at Martin Davies in the City goal. From the goal-kick Darren Collins flicked on and Danny Bloomfield - back in the line-up after a weeks absence - only just failed to beat Acton to the ball.

The next meaningful action saw City go behind and it was Hallam, who always seems to score against City, who did the damage. City did not learn their lesson from the opening minutes and were caught napping as Hallam got across in front of Colin Vowden to head home a perfectly flighted Tony Hemmings cross. Minutes later City responded, Bloomfield rounding one defender before seeing a Paul Hatton block prevent his effort from testing Acton. From the resulting corner City were unlucky not to pull level, Collins leaping high above the Tamworth defence only for his bullet header to crash against the bar.

Hallam completed a hat-trick of first half headers at the City goal on twenty three minutes. Nick Colley's cross from the right found him unmarked just six yards out but fortunately for City the usually lethal marksman got his header all wrong and missed the target by some margin.

Quarter of an hour on and the home side did double their advantage. It was the second uncharacteristic error of the game by the usually reliable Vowden that did the damage. Warner's ball forward towards the City area should have been cleared but Vowden failed to make the interception the ball falling to Scott Rickards. The striker instantly took his chance, turning on the spot and sprinting into the box before finishing with a low shot past Davies.

City had left themselves with a lot to do, but the second half started in promising fashion early on as they created ample opportunities to get a foot hold in the game. However, this was not before Tamworth wasted a great chance to put the game out of reach. Only three minutes had gone when Davies lost the race with Rickards to a loose ball out wide. With Davies hopelessly out of position the striker raced in towards what was an open goal but Vowden had got back and from just inside the six yard area, brilliantly blocked Rickards effort to go some way to exorcising his errors of the first period.

Soon after, City failed to capitalise on a defensive blunder by the home side. Tamworth were all over the place when Acton, under pressure from Bloomfield, cleared the ball only to French out on the left touchline. The winger crossed as the keeper raced back into position, but during the ensuing goalmouth melee some desperate defending prevented City from getting a decisive strike.

Moments later Collins wasted two good chances. Firstly, he did well to make space for a shot but blazed over the bar when well placed. Then as City continued to apply some pressure, Adie Hayes sent the former Kettering man clear, but with only Acton to beat he produced a weak shot that the 'keeper gratefully smothered.

City continued to press and Colley was lucky to escape a yellow card for felling Shane Wardley as he cut inside. From the resulting free-kick, Wooding picked out Vowden at the far post, his powerful downward header was superbly turned away at almost point-blank range by Acton.

To a degree City had Tamworth on the ropes but failed to convert chances and paid the penalty when against the run of play the home side struck again. City were caught napping as a corner was swung in, Mark Cooper was the only one to react and rose unchallenged to head home from close range. Clearly lifted by making the game virtually safe, Tamworth pushed forward, but it took sometime before Davies was called into any action when he had to be on top form to produce a diving save to turn Hallam's flick header away for a corner. Davies then produced a similar save to turn away Cooper's piledriver of a free-kick from all of 40 yards.

Despite the set-backs, City never gave up hope and eventually got on the scoresheet in the 68th minute. Wooding's pinpoint lofted pass picked out Collin's run perfectly and there was little the Tamworth rearguard could do as he deftly lobbed Acton from close range.

Further chances came and went for City as the game ebbed away. With ten minutes left, Steve Holden - who replaced Wignall at half-time - saw his goalbound header from a Wooding cross cleared off the line by a combination of goalkeeper and defender. Then with a minute left Collins got free on the right, found Bloomfield with a low cross but the strikers clever backheel from six yards was blocked and then cleared by Warner to end a frustrating day for City.