City produced a rock solid defensive performance to protect Danny Bloomfield’s early strike and grind out a valuable win in this tense encounter against a high-flying Stafford side forced to play for an hour with ten men.

The Milton Road faithful, witnessing their first league action for four weeks, welcomed Danny Naisbitt’s home debut but an injury to another recent arrival, Danny Grieves, meant a return to the attack for Robbie Simpson.

Matt Langston deals with Stafford's Don Goodman

Jamie Godbold’s impressive contribution at Moor Green last week earned him at start at the expense of Stuart Niven who was joined on the bench by Martin Davies, back in contention for the first time since collecting a serious injury against Dover on 16th September, the last time City took all three points from a home game.

In a cautious opening both defences were content to clear their lines by playing it long from deep positions. With barely two minutes on the clock Matt Langston maintained that pattern with opposite number Gavin Caines apparently well positioned to deal with the aerial threat to the Stafford rearguard. However, the tall central defender got under the ball and could only direct his header backwards. Showing great anticipation Danny Bloomfield latched onto the loose ball and raced clear of the Rangers’ back line. With Ryan Price advancing from his goal to narrow the angle, City’s top scorer struck a lofted drive over the ‘keeper and into the top corner of the net. Goal number 21 of the campaign for the former Bournemouth striker and a dream start for the Lilywhites.

The visitors, stung by this early setback, came close to firing an immediate response. Good work on the right by Nick Colley created a shooting opportunity for Craig McAughtrie whose rising 25 yard drive fizzed narrowly over Naisbitt’s crossbar.

As the game settled down after this explosive start Stafford enjoyed the lions’ share of the possession. The experienced Don Goodman and the imposing Danny Davidson almost combined to level the scores on 13 minutes when visiting skipper Wayne Daniel got his head to a clearance just inside City territory. A spiralling ball into the area bounced awkwardly, deceiving Naisbitt but fortunately for the Lilywhites Louis Riddle was on hand to clear as Davidson homed in on goal. The former Hereford marksman came close again soon afterwards as McAughtrie’s long throw was allowed to bounce in the six yard box but a stretching Davidson just failed to connect.

City had to content themselves with playing on the break. As Robbie Simpson pulled wide to the right he collected a pass from Craig Pope before firing low across the box just in front of the advancing Bloomfield.

Robbie Simpson gets above Craig McAughtrie

Then with just over half an hour on the clock came the defining moment of the game. As Stafford broke from their left back position Rob Miller pursued the advancing Robin Gibson. As both players used their arms in the challenge Gibson appeared to catch Miller in the face. Although referee Stanton did not have a clear view of the incident, after lengthy consultation with his assistant he produced a straight red card, presumably for use of the elbow, which brought a premature end to Gibson’s afternoon.

The visitors were clearly unhappy with the decision and McAughtrie allowed his frustration to show moments later, collecting a yellow card for a wild kick at Riddle.

Sensibly, City chose to take the heat out of the remainder of the half and tried to retain possession at every opportunity stifling Stafford’s attempts to level proceedings before the interval.

The pattern of the match was little changed after the break, however, on 49 minutes, Robbie Simpson sprung the visitors’ offside trap which otherwise frustrated him for most of the afternoon. Latching on to Rob Miller’s perfectly weighted through ball he advanced through the inside right channel, leaving Caines and Daniel trailing in his wake. Unfortunately for City’s teenage striker he dragged his shot across goal and wide when a second, at this stage of the game, would surely have left Rangers with a mountain to climb.

As it was Stafford, despite their one man disadvantage, continued to dominate possession but with City content to allow the visitors to come on to them Lee Pluck and Matt Langston were more than equal to the aerial threat posed by Goodman and Davidson.

Just after the hour Nick Colley was on the receiving end of an uncompromising, but fair challenge from Lewis Baillie. Clearly struggling there was a lengthy hold up as the stretcher was called for the former Tamworth wide man but after extensive treatment he got to his feet and was ultimately deemed fit to continue. However some five minutes later he crumpled again, the stretcher was recalled and the unfortunate Colley carried from the field to be replaced by Lee Downes, the former Kidderminster midfielder marking his entrance with a crude lunge on Baillie which earned him a caution.

Langston and Lewis Baillie keep a close eye on Daniel Davidson

With some 16 minutes remaining City carved out a rare threat on the visitors’ goal. Good work by Miller and Godbold on the right hand side free Simpson whose driven cross was again just too far in front of Bloomfield.

At the other end Downes charged down a clearance , advanced and lashed a right foot shot across the face of goal. As Stafford continued to probe Craig Lovatt collected a Goodman knock down but his long range effort was comfortably fielded by Naisbitt.

Downes’ wayward volley after McAughtrie’s long throw was only partly cleared proved to be Stafford’s last meaningful effort on goal. Despite some eight minutes of injury time resulting from the injury to Colley, Rangers failed to trouble Naisbitt as City successfully broke up their momentum at every opportunity, Gary Roberts introducing Stuart Niven for a tiring Robbie Simpson in a further attempt to run down the clock.

Whilst the final whistle brought a collective sigh of relief Danny Naisbitt can hardly have expected to be so little worked against the team who started the day in fourth place. City’s rearguard produced arguably the best defensive performance of the season so far. The introduction of Matt Langston has given the Lilywhites a much more solid look and Lee Pluck appears to have benefited hugely from his introduction.

The Lilywhites are now undefeated in four games and appear to be developing the very useful habit of eeking out results even when not at their most fluent. Three points from a fixture as tough as this will give everyone at Milton Road the confidence that a place in the top thirteen is achievable if this level of consistency is maintained.