City’s season is up and running after they bagged all three points, turning in an excellent display to overturn Chelmsford in an entertaining and keenly contested local derby.

The Lilywhites were unchanged from Saturday’s low key defeat at Weston-super-Mare, however, any fears that this was to be a repeat of Saturday’s drab encounter were dispelled within the opening seconds.

With the Milton Road crowd still taking their positions on this pleasant summer evening Shane Wardley sent a left wing cross in towards the penalty spot causing confusion between Russell Edwards and Paul Nicholls, allowing Danny Bloomfield to dart in between them.

With the Clarets still finding their feet City came within inches of grabbing an early lead moments later. Jamie Godbold collected the ball in centre field and sprayed a raking pass out to Louis Riddle on the left. Taking the ball in his stride the former Stevenage winger burst through the inside left channel and unleashed a fierce drive that was arrowing towards the top right hand corner of the net until the athletic Nicholls flew across his goal and palmed the goal bound shot onto the crossbar.

Riddle was in the thick of the action as City piled forward. Lee Pluck, again neat in his distribution from central defence, played an accurate cross-field ball into Riddle who exchanged passes with Robbie Simpson and burst into the area only to be thwarted by Garry Cross, referee Bryan waving away appeals for a penalty kick.

Another good spell of probing passing play around the Clarets’ box saw Ian Wiles fell Danny Bloomfield slightly to the right of the centre of Paul Nicholls’ goal. Louis Riddle’s resultant place kick was however, comfortably gathered by the former Chelsea and Havant stopper.

With ten minutes gone Chelmsford eased the pressure a little by carving out a decent chance of their own. A Rob Nightingale back-header in centre field fell to Dale Watkins who in turn freed Matt Jones through the inside left channel, the much-travelled midfielder unleashing a sharp left foot drive which forced Martin Davies into a smart block down to his left.

As City resumed the attack the Clarets picked up a couple of unnecessary yellow cards within the space of as many minutes. Firstly Ian Wilkes challenged Riddle from behind on the left flank, soon to be followed into the book by Steve Norman who tripped Craig Pope when he looked set to break clear down the right. In the context of the game as a whole these were perhaps a shade harsh, especially as subsequent foul challenges didn’t result in automatic cautions.

As the City midfield continued to dominate Miller combined with Godbold, who, showing good close control, span clear into space and fed Pope who advanced deep into the visitors box before being crowded out and dispossessed by Nicholls.

Every now and again Chelmsford were able to loosen City’s grip with an incisive counter of their own. With fifteen minutes gone, Carl Allison who was operating to good effect wide on the right played a low near post centre into the feet of Watkins. With his back to goal the former Kettering marksman twisted and squared the ball across the six yard box but none of his team mates were on hand to apply the finishing touch.

On 22 minutes Craig Pope clipped the heels of Steve Norman near the corner flag and picked up an inevitable yellow card although the challenge appeared fairly innocuous.

Despite being penned in for practically the entire opening quarter the Clarets almost snatched the lead on 25 minutes. Again Allison was the provider angling the ball in from the right behind the City rearguard. Showing typical gaol poacher’s instincts it was Watkins who reacted first, however Martin Davies raced off his line to smother superbly with his legs.

Just past the half hour City got the all important breakthrough. As the ball was worked down the left wing Danny Bloomfield collected a short pass just inside the penalty area with his back to goal. His dummy wrong-footed Rio Alderton and as he knocked the ball forward the defender stuck out a foot and tripped City’s ex-Bournemouth hot-shot. Mr Bryan had no hesitation in awarding a penalty which was expertly and powerfully converted by Rob Nightingale against a ‘keeper with an impressive spot-kick record.

City then consolidated their lead. Retaining possession through accurate and thoughtful passing whilst constantly hassling their opponents and not allowing them the opportunity them to gain a foothold, Watkins’ tame header from a deep Simon Clarke cross illustrating the difficulty the visitors faced in finding a way back into the game.

As half time approached more good work by Godbold fed Riddle who stumbled clear of Jack Wignall despite being fouled only to follow through on Russ Edwards and simultaneously earn a free kick and collect the fourth yellow card of the half, Mr Bryan wisely bringing proceedings to a close moments later as tempers started to become a little frayed.

City maintained the tempo of the opening period directly from the re-start, the hard working Robbie Simpson earning a right wing corner by closing down Russ Edwards. Louis Riddle’s place kick was helped on by Godbold who headed across the box for James Quilter to lash the ball back towards the bottom left hand corner of the net beyond the despairing Nicholls and in, despite the best efforts of Clarke on the line. A dream start to the half for City leaving Chelmsford with a monumental task to salvage anything from the game.

On 49 minutes, Rob Miller having a hugely effective game in midfield won yet another 50/50 ball and fired a low pass into Danny Bloomfield, with his back to goal in the inside left position, Bloomfield in turn laid a short pass back to Robbie Simpson who unleashed a ferocious right footed drive which would have put the outcome beyond doubt but for another flying save from Nicholls who finger-tipped the ball over the bar.

Moments later Rio Alderton was withdrawn from the action to be replaced by George Lay. Chelmsford were unable to hit back however and City continued to look like the team most likely to score the next goal. On the hour mark, Godbold, making a thoroughly impressive home debut picked up a Pope throw on the right hand side and centred for Simpson on the near post. The teenage striker did well to evade Edwards and flashed a shot across the face of the goal. Five minutes later it was Godbold again, providing much of the midfield creativity who had the vision to pick out Riddle. With the ball at his feet the speedy left winger ran purposefully at the heart of the Chelmsford defence unleashing a hard low drive but Nicholls was well placed and gathered the ball into his midriff. As City maintained the attacking momentum Miller glided past Clarke only to be unceremoniously flattened on the edge of the box, a challenged that predictably earned the offender a caution.

With twenty minutes to go Lay, who had looked lively since his introduction latched onto a quickly taken left wing throw, sped towards the bye-line a cut back a dangerous cross, but with Watkins homing in Shane Wardley made excellent ground to get his head on the ball and avert the danger with an interception that typified the determination and application of City’s defence. The clearance was completed by the immaculate Lee Pluck who showed great presence at the centre of the Lilywhites back line in the face of increasing Chelmsford pressure.

On 72 minutes Godbold again showed Matt Jones a clean pair of heels only to be felled by what was in truth the only really poor challenge of the evening. No doubt committed out of frustration it didn’t make good viewing and fully warranted a yellow card.

The Clarets’ commitment never diminished and as City sought to consolidate they finished strongly although aside from a Garry Cross shot that was safely gathered in by Davies after good work by Allison the Lilywhites’ goal was never under serious threat, largely as result of the assured partnership of Pluck and Quilter and the industry of the midfield in front of them.

In City’s last meaningful attack Bloomfield latched onto a searching Godbold through ball but could only tangle with Nicholls and Wiles, becoming the seventh player cautioned in an encounter that, whilst always competitive, arguably didn’t warrant such regular use of the yellow card.

The Lilywhites successfully saw out the remaining minutes to complete an impressive and well deserved victory.

City fans are in little doubt that Gary Roberts has brought talented players into the club over the close season, it is fair to say however that most expected to have to wait several games for the whole thing to start coming together. Whilst this was not the finished article, and there is surely better to come once the recent arrivals and the players returning from injury get to play together on a regular basis, the nature of this victory and more remarkably the style of the performance will undoubtedly fill the Milton Road faithful with renewed optimism and expectation for the new campaign.

Just a year ago City trailed 3-0 in the corresponding fixture on their way to opening the season with four successive defeats which set the tone for much of what was to follow. If tonight’s performance is a similar indication of what to expect over the next nine months, and the Lilywhites can maintain this level of consistency, then the Milton Road coffers ought to receive a much needed boost as more supporters come through the turnstiles to see a team winning games by playing entertaining, attacking football.