A brave City fight back failed to disguise the fact that defensive inadequacy in the first sixty minutes of this match resulted in Ford having booked their place in the First Round of the FA Cup before the Lilywhites had started to play.

In the wake of the mauling handed out by Crawley in midweek Matt Rice and Rob Nightingale were sacrificed, James Quilter and Stuart Niven taking their respective places.

Both sides opened cautiously in what was billed as an evenly matched encounter, Alan Calton the first ‘keeper to be tested when he got down to his left to save from Glenn Moore who had collected a short pass from Sam Cooper wide on the right. At the other end Godbold fed Miller who showed good close control but shot weakly with his left foot from the edge of the area. Cooper collected an early yellow card for a poorly timed challenge on Baillie.

The Motormen enjoyed the early territorial advantage with Glenn Moore firing across goal and narrowly wide of the target and it was further probing down the left that was to lead to the crucial opening goal some twenty five minutes in. As Sam Cooper flighted in a left wing corner Alan Calton rose under challenge but sadly for City’s teenage ‘keeper, for the second game in succession, his failure to cling on to the centre cost the home side a goal. As the ball went to ground a grateful Chris Perkins was first to react stabbing home from close range.

Danny Bloomfield is watched closely by Ford's Mbiami Blaise

Despite taking the lead Ford were soon forced to re-organise, the unfortunate Jerome Sobers who had already sustained a head injury before crashing into the advertising boards was unable to continue and was replaced by Mbiami Blaise.

City, who had been anonymous in attack in the opening half hour then enjoyed a brief spell in the ascendancy as they searched for an equaliser. First Danny Bloomfield pulled clear of the last man, wide on the City left, and carried the ball into the area but in attempting to steer the ball around the advancing Jamie Lunan his effort drifted wide of goal. Moments later a strong challenge by Baillie won the ball in centre field and fed Godbold who was quick to release Simpson who, in turn, snatched at his shot, failing to work Lunan when well placed to do so. With thirty eight minutes gone Lunan was called into serious action for the first time. Rob Miller slid a perfectly weighted pass through the centre of the Ford back line allowing Bloomfield to hold off Perkins and advance on goal before releasing a shot which the former Southend custodian closed down quickly blocking with his legs.

However, City’s failure to find an end product to their approach play was punished again before half time. Craig Edwards fired a warning when he latched on to a loose ball after the home defence had failed to clear a throw on the Ford left, his angled shot finding the side netting. However there was no such let off for the Lilywhites moments later. With the defence inexplicably pulled out of position Glenn Poole collected a raking cross field pass from Cooper wide on the Ford left. Craig Pope was the last man but chose to commit to the challenge rather than stand his man up. The former Tottenham youngster waltzed around the full back. He had the time and the space to go either side but chose to slide his shot to the right of the exposed Calton leaving City with a monumental task if they were to maintain an interest in this year’s competition.

The Lilywhites seemed to have upped their game after the break but were unable to get the early strike they needed to try and forge a way back into thecontest. It was Ford who had the best early chance when Mervyn Abraham latched onto James Quilter’s headed clearance but rolled his shot wide.

A more incisive approach from the home side opened up the visitors on 52 minutes. Robbie Simpson found Stuart Niven in centre field who in turn played an angled ball into Danny Bloomfield who, from a right sided position, struck a rising drive which Lunan was forced to beat away. With an early goal vital Gary Roberts threw on a third striker, Carlin Itonga, a scorer in each of the last two games, given thirty five minutes, Jamie Godbold giving way as City switched to 4-3-3.

However, despite renewed efforts to find a way back into the game City still looked far from secure at the back. Abraham got the wrong side of Lee Pluck but was unable to find a finish when one on one with Calton. The former Grays striker didn’t take long to make amends however. With an hour gone Ronnie Watson, showing good close control made a probing run down the right before swinging the ball into the six yard box where Abraham appeared to be well marshalled by Pluck and Pope but despite Calton imploring his defenders to clear Abraham was allowed to glide between the two and ram the ball home from close range. With the City defence all at sea it was nearly four two minutes later. Cooper played in Moore on the edge of the box and but for Calton racing from his line to distract the striker his cultured lob might have found the back of the net rather than the top of it.

Alex Fiddes clears under pressure from Robbie Simpson

With twenty five minutes to go, Louis Riddle whose contribution appeared to be limited by injury for much of the afternoon was replaced by Rob Nightingale. City were still reeling however, Abraham fed Cooper wide on the right whose cross was met by the head of Ronnie Watson with only the timely intervention of James Quilter, who managed to keep his own game together pretty well, forcing the ball behind for a corner. It was Cooper again, from a right wing corner who set up Moore, the striker coming within inches of doubling his tally for the afternoon as he saw a fierce drive skim the top of the crossbar.

As City switched play to the other end a Rob Miller corner was only cleared as far as Danny Bloomfield on the edge of the box and he fired straight back at Lunan who reacted smartly to tip the fierce drive over the top. As City began to make further inroads Robbie Simpson got his head to a Stuart Niven free kick but Lunan saved comfortably.

By now the Motormen were happy to preserve their three goal advantage and play on the break, the influential Cooper firing low at Calton who elected to kick the ball away to safety.

As City continued to turn the screw Bloomfield homed in on a Niven centre from the left only to be denied by Alan McLeod’s smart defensive header. From Rob Miller’s resultant corner Lee Pluck headed powerfully at goal. An arching Lunan palmed the ball onto the bar but Itonga was first to react, reducing the arrears with some thirteen minutes to go.

At the other end of the pitch Watson floored Baillie with an untidy challenge which resulted in the second yellow of the game.

For the first time in the game Ford were rocking. A mis-placed back header fell invitingly for Itonga on the right hand edge of the box. The former Arsenal striker probably had more time than he realised and hurried his shot which was just wide of the target.

In an attempt to run down the remaining few minutes visiting boss Craig Edwards withdrew Ronnie Watson and introduced Robbie Reinelt.

As the game entered the final five minutes Niven played in Itonga whose good close control gave him a shooting angle on the right of the box but his effort was blocked by Blaise at point blank range. City were now piling forward at every opportunity, Baillie’s low clearance down the left was collected by Itonga who beat Perkins with ease before squaring to Simpson whose first time shot on the turn was tipped over by the athletic Lunan. With time as good as up the Lilywhites pressure paid off. Miller was untidily upended by McLeod on the edge of the box and Stuart Niven’s free kick pierced a poorly constructed wall, beating the stranded Lunan.

As City searched frantically for an unlikely leveller they had a shout for a penalty and Simpson saw his deflected shot land in the midriff of a grateful Lunan but there was to be no happy ending and the Lilywhites’ interest in the FA Cup was ended for another year. The reaction of the delirious Ford players to an away tie at Port Vale told its own story. City, by contrast, must now focus on a somewhat less glamorous trip to Worthing in the FA Trophy and attempt to get their season back on track after a very disappointing week.