City continued their good record at the Moorlands with a deserved point courtesy of Danny Bloomfield’s late strike. The visitors fielded a similar team to that which toppled Havant and Waterlooville two weeks ago, the only change being recent signing Danny Naisbitt making his debut in goal.

Darren Grieves leaps for the ball

With the FA Trophy occupying most of the other teams in the league, both sides saw this as an opportunity to improve their respective league positions. The home side enjoyed the better of the early exchanges. With ten minutes gone Moor Green had City at full stretch, Daire Doyle got down the left wing and crossed for Rob Elmes to nod down for Richard Robinson inside the penalty area. Lee Pluck reacted quickly to snuff out any danger, toppling Robinson in the process, the referee waiving away the ensuing penalty appeal.

It was an early alarm call for Gary Roberts’ men as the Moors went on to shade the first period. There was encouragement for the travelling fans however, minutes later Louis Riddle escaped down the left flank, played the ball accurately into the feet of Bloomfield who in turn layed an inch-perfect ball into the path of Rob Miller. The ball was dinked to Robbie Nightingale who with a good sight of goal, could only screw a shot tamely wide.

The sprightly Moors caused further concern for the Lilywhites two minutes later. Ben Petty threaded a perfect throughball for Richardson as City were opened up once again, however, it was Skipper Lee Pluck to the rescue with a timely interception as the Moors striker bore down on Naisbitt. At the other end, City spurned a decent opportuntity to forge ahead. Rob Miller swung in a freekick from the left wing, Darren Grieves rose unchallenged but powered his header high and wide.

The first half was littered with free-kicks for both sides and from another such set-piece Moor Green had a confident shout for a penalty ignored by the referee. Peter Faulds booted the kick into the City penalty area, Rob Elmes jumped for the ball and certainly appeared to be impeded by Lewis Baillie in doing so. The home fans were incensed as the referee only pointed for a corner which came to nothing. Doyle then played a one-two with Elmes and motored into the area before blasting a shot past Naisbitt but, fortunately for the visitors, narrowly over the bar.

Matt Langston puts pressure on the home defence

City were looking perhaps a bit ragged and like a team that hadn’t played a league game for two weeks, so it came as no real surprise when the home side took the lead. Phil Trainer got the better of Craig Pope out on the left and crossed to the back post, Elmes beat Baillie to the ball and squared for Dean Peer to net from close range giving Naisbitt no chance. It was no more than the Moors deserved and it could have worse five minutes later, Faulds taking advantage of some hesitant City defending but shooting just wide of the target with Naisbitt scrambling to cover.

City needed a change of gear and the opening stages of the second half suggested an improvement. Bloomfield got his first real sight of goal on 56 minutes, latching onto Miller’s deflected corner, but blasted over when well placed. The visitors were beginning to dominate possession and improving their corner count as they continued to search for an equalizer. With an hour played, Gary Roberts introduced Jamie Godbold to the action in place of an out-of-sorts Stuart Niven. The little midfielder was to have a significant influence on the remainder of the game.

He was in the thick of things almost immediately. Miller found Bloomfield just outside the box and the ball was cushioned to Godbold but his shot, although on-target, lacked sufficent bite to trouble home keeper Adam Rachel. Godbold was involved again in the 72nd as City again went close. He picked out Miller out on the left wing who sent in a pin-point cross to Matt Langston, supporting the attack, but his header was well saved by Rachel.

By now, it was all City as the Moors repelled wave after wave of attacks by the visitors. These raids were highlighted by accurate passing in centre-field and the trickery and skill shown by Miller and Louis Riddle in tandem down the left wing. It was now Moor Green’s turn to be opened up.

Rob Miller leaves a defender floundering

It seemed as if City’s second half revival was going to be unrewarded as the minutes ebbed away. However, it was to be Godbold who created a moment to savour with five minutes remaining. The substitute produced a piece of trickery of his own to dispossess Guy Sanders on the right touchline and pick out Bloomfield with the pass. In an instant the striker drilled the ball across Rachel and into the net. The keeper got fingertips to it but couldn’t prevent City getting their reward. Grieves made sure the ball went in, arriving ahead of Faulds.

City were deservedly level but had to thank Naisbitt for keeping it that way. The Moors from a rare second half attack so nearly grabbed what would have been an undeserved winner in stoppage time, Sanders nearly going from villain to hero with a header which the City keeper saved on the line.

There was still time for one more moment of mayhem in the Moor Green penalty area. The mercurial Riddle skipped past two defenders, fed Miller who squared for Nightingale who, instead of shooting, layed the ball off Riddle again. The winger crossed for Godbold and the ball cannoned to Grieves who lashed a shot inches wide as the home side frantically defended. The referee brought to a close a hugely enjoyable second half from a Cambridge City point of view. Another point gained and three places climbed in the table.