The Lilywhites failed to capitalise on Rob Miller’s early strike as an increasingly disjointed display allowed the Moors to enjoy a share of the spoils in this closely contested mid-table encounter.

With Craig Pope and Rob Nightingale both missing through injury Lee Pluck made his first senior start for six weeks, filling in at right back. The Milton Road faithful also got their first look at Brentford striker Lloyd Blackman (who had made his debut at Dover last Saturday) and deadline day signing Tony Battersby was named amongst the substitutes along with the previously suspended Louis Riddle.

Lewis Baillie aims to keep the ball in play

City started purposefully as they strove for an early breakthrough, Pluck played in Robbie Simpson down the right and teenage striker did extremely well to keep the ball alive before whipping in a dangerous centre onto the forehead of the on-rushing Carl Williams. The former Hitchin midfielder headed downwards and to the left of Adam Rachel but the visiting stopper pulled off a fine reaction save to keep the scoresheet blank.

Simpson was already proving to be a handful and on six minutes his forward progress was halted by Barry Williams, a challenge which earned the right back an early yellow card. The Moors failed to deal effectively with Richard Scott’s resultant free kick and with the ball only partially cleared Stuart Niven headed back into the danger area where an off-balance Blackman did well to direct his shot goalwards but Rachel again reacted well to save.

Just as it appeared City might endure another frustrating afternoon in front of goal they broke the deadlock with a quality strike. Simpson rose superbly to head a Martin Davies goal kick into the path of Blackman who showed good strength to hold off his marker and play an angled pass inside Jamie Petty which freed Rob Miller on the right of the box. Rachel was off his line smartly but Miller held his nerve, rounded the ‘keeper and finished with a fine drive from an acute angle.

The Moors appeared stung into life and registered their first effort on goal moments later. Carl Williams lost possession from a Lewis Baillie throw in City’s left back position, Daire Doyle seized on the slip a sent in a powerful low strike which forced Martin Davies into a diving stop. The former Kidderminster midfielder was soon to try his luck again from the opposite side when a similarly well directed effort caused another anxious moment for the City custodian.

Robbie Simpson out-jumps Moor Green's Richard Teesdale

With City keen to consolidate their lead Williams was fouled wide on the right, Niven rolling the resultant free kick invitingly into the path of Scott whose fierce drive from the edge of the box was deflected away from danger. It was to be the last contribution of the influential midfielder as a knock to the right ankle picked up in an earlier challenge forced his withdrawal. Louis Riddle’s introduction, into his customary wide left role, forcing the first re-organisation of the afternoon with Carl Williams switching sides and Rob Miller moving inside to partner Niven.

In truth City lost their way as a result and failed to re-capture their early momentum. On 24 minutes Riddle conceded a free kick in the Lilywhites’ left back position which was whipped in by Jamie Petty, whilst no-one made contact Martin Davies got down well to his right to palm the ball away with both Dennis Bailey and Neil Davis in close attendance.

The Moors came closer still just after the half hour when Matt Langston’s back pass put Davies under pressure and his miss-hit clearance fell at the feet of Peter Faulds who should have done better than sky disappointingly over the bar.

With the visitors building the pressure it came as no real surprise when they levelled the scores shortly before the interval. Patient passing in midfield freed Barry Williams on the right, allowed too much space the full back advanced before hitting a dipping drive which bounced awkwardly in front of and then over the outstretched arm of Martin Davies and into the net.

Moors manager Bob Faulkner made a change at the interval introducing John Frain at the expense of Jamie Petty. It was City who drew first blood however when Lee Pluck angled a free kick from right to left where Louis Riddle, with his back to goal, turned and angled a drive across the six yard box.

Lee Chaffey and Moor Green's Dennis Bailey leap for the ball

From then on however the Lilywhites threat as an attacking force subsided as they gave the ball away far to cheaply allowing the Moors to dominate territorially. Lee Pluck was carded some seven minutes into the period as he floored Phil Trainer wide on the visitors’ left.

In an attempt to alter the pattern of the game Gary Roberts made two changes in quick succession, Stuart Niven and Robbie Simpson giving way to Tony Battersby and Danny Bloomfield respectively. The positional changes that resulted only seemed to further disrupt to the struggling City midfield however.

On 70 minutes the experienced Battersby showed a glimpse of the class which has resulted into him playing the bulk of his career at Nationwide league level. Changing direction in centre field he created the space to play Blackman in behind the Moors’ back line but the striker appeared hesitant in his initial reaction and was ultimately crowded out on the edge of the box.

Both sides seemed happy with a point at this stage and the introduction of Richard Robinson, at the expense of striker Dennis Bailey with fifteen minutes to go, looked like an attempt at consolidation. However, within the two minutes of his arrival the former GMP Sports player had the chance to score what, at that stage, would surely have been the winning goal. Further hesitancy in the City midfield allowed the ball to be poked through to Robinson who found himself one-on-one with Davies, the City stopper reacted smartly however diving bravely at his opponent’s feet, conceding only a corner when a goal seemed the more likely outcome.

As City rallied in the closing stages Miller and Williams combined well to play in Riddle but despite taking up a good position the former Stevenage winger was again unable to apply the finish. The Lilywhites created one more opportunity when Pluck sent the ball spiralling onto the box from wide on the right, Rachel at first came then changed his mind and backed off allowing Danny Bloomfield to attack the space between the central defenders and the ‘keeper, but forced wide, City’s leading scorer flashed a drive narrowly over the angle of post and crossbar.

The remaining five minutes passed by without incident and City can at least reflect that they maintain a three point advantage over their rivals from the West Midlands as the race for a top thirteen finish gets tighter still.