Danny Bloomfield came in from the cold to grab a hat-trick as City took a massive step towards qualification for Conference Two in front of a sun drenched Milton Road crowd who could hardly have expected the goal feast that enlivened the Lilywhites last scheduled home game of the season.

With loanee striker Lloyd Blackman and influential wide player Carl Williams both injured in midweek, top scorer Bloomfield was recalled to lead the line and exciting Academy prospect Luke Hughes was handed a full league debut wide on the left.

With only goal difference separating the two sides in an incredibly congested middle third of the table it was City who were quickest out of the blocks in an attempt to stamp their authority on proceedings in the opening exchanges.

Tony Battersby gets above Paul Chenoweth

As early as the second minute Craig Pope got forward to good effect crossing for Tony Battersby whose aerial presence casued panic in the Tiverton back line. The ball was only partially cleared to Lewis Baillie whose mis-hit shot screwed across the area falling invitingly at the feet of Bloomfield who stabbed the ball goalwards only to be denied by the upright, however a late flag from the referee’s assistant would have seen the goal chalked off in any event.

That was only a foretaste of what was to follow moments later. The visitors had failed to take heed of this early warning and allowed Craig Pope to get behind their back line again, collecting a quickly taken throw the former Barnet right back looked up and flighted a centre onto the head of Hughes who ghosted in unmarked at the far post to head back across Stuart Fraser and into the bottom corner of the net to get his debut off to a dream start.

However, as has been the trend in recent weeks City managed to hand the initiative back to their opponents. Matt Langston rose to head a clear a long through ball. The City skipper might reasonably have expected one of his midfielders to complete the clearance but it was the alert Kevin Nancekivell who was first to react and as he was given time to settle he struck a well hit shot beyond Martin Davies, whose view seemed to be obscured, to level scores with only six minutes on the clock.

Understandably, on a hot sunny afternoon, the pace of the game dropped after this frantic start. City showed the more invention however and it was Battersby, who seemed to have developed a good understanding with Bloomfield, who brought down Baillie’s through ball and angled an intelligent pass inside to his strike partner who unleashed a left foot shot from just inside the box which faded wide of the target.

The hard working Baillie who was again providing the City midfield with much needed drive then had his legs chopped from under him by David Steele who was carded for the challenge.

With the game just under half an hour old the Devonian’s carelessness in conceding free kicks around the penalty area cost them dearly. Visiting skipper Jason Rees felled Richard Scott in the inside right position, the former Stevenage midfielder’s delivery from the resultant place kick was perfect for the diminutive Bloomfield to rise unchallenged from six yards and dispatch a well placed header over the despairing Fraser and into the roof of the net.

The visitors were hardly demonstrating the necessary defensive qualities to see them to a top thirteen finish. The livewire Hughes having a very effective game wide on the left cut inside onto his right foot and crossed for Miller who rose unchallenged at the far post to head back across Fraser but on this occasion the former Exeter ‘keeper managed to cling on.

Celebrations as Richard Scott's free-kick finds the back of the net

City didn’t have to wait long to extend their lead still further. Rees was again guilty of of an ill-advised challenge, this time on Bloomfield which allowed Scott to demonstrate once again his prowess with the dead ball, picking out the advancing Matt Langston and with no one taking responsibility to pick up the tall defender he powered a header past an over exposed Fraser. Three goals, three unchallenged headers from within the six yard box.

Every time City came forward they looked capable of scoring. The game was still less than 40 minutes old when the tireless Miller turned effortlessly inside Paul Chenoweth before unleashing a low shot which caused Fraser far more trouble than it appeared it should have.

City still had time to net a fourth before the interval and in all honesty were not flattered by the score line even if Danny Bloomfield’s second strike was somewhat fortuitous. Hughes, showing a maturity way beyond his years played a sublime reverse pass into the feet of the former Bournemouth hit man. With Nathan Rudge and Robert Cousins no more than spectators the 25 goal striker scuffed his shot across the face of goal where the unfortunate Steve Winter’s attempted block succeeded only in diverting the ball through the legs of the hapless Fraser and in.

Visiting boss Martyn Rogers made his feelings clear as he hauled of three of his under performing team at the interval, Rees, Carl Cliff-Brown and Jamie Mudge making way for Darren Edwards, Shaun Goff and David Hallett respectively.

The re-shuffle made an immediate impact as Tiverton reduced the arrears with their first attack. Craig Pope was forced to concede a corner with a defensive header whilst under heavy challenge. David Steele swung the ball in from the Tiverton left and neither goalkeeper or defenders were able to deal decisively with the situation which allowed the imposing Rudge to apply the finishing touch in a goalmouth scramble.

City could have restored the three goal margin in their next attack. Richard Scott’s right wing corner was met by Langston who was only denied a second of the afternoon by a headed goal line clearance before the ball was worked back wide to Scott who this time hit a far post cross to Lee Chaffey who was just wide of the target with an air-borne volley.

The impressive Hughes, who had picked up a knock in the first half was then withdrawn, Louis Riddle taking his place. The former Stevenage wide man was immediately in the thick of the action as he was tugged back by Winter wide on the left. Having created two goals from set pieces already Richard Scott elected to go for goal on this occasion, curling the ball inside a static Fraser who found himself embarrassed at his near post.

At 5-2 that should have been game over but as Milton Road regulars are all too aware that’s not the City way of doing things. For a fifteen minute spell the lilywhites appeared to have successfully taken the heat out of proceedings. Tony Battersby collected a Baillie clearance and held the ball up intelligently allowing Danny Bloomfield to make a diagonal run. Battersby released his pass with expert timing and with Bloomfield chasing a hat-trick he got the better of Cousins to send a fierce drive fizzing inches over the crossbar.

Louis Riddle controls the ball with David Steele in close attendance

Louis Riddle playing a more withdrawn role in attempt to preserve City’s advantage rose well to head clear in the left back position, as so often it was Battersby who collected the clearance, seeing a vast amount of space opening up in front of him Riddle sprinted down the wing and collected a perfectly weighted return pass before unleashing a rising drive from some thirty yards which was too hot for Fraser to handle, the Tiverton custodian happy to palm the ball behind for a corner.

As City started to feel the pace, particularly in midfield it was their turn to start to concede an alarming number of free kicks. As Chenoweth waited to deliver from the left, referee Saliy spotted an off the ball altercation between Langston and Rudge which earned both central defenders a caution.

Two minutes later Chenoweth was charged with taking a right wing corner which was met at the far post by the towering Rudge who forced home a header despite City’s protests that he had climbed on Davies in the process.

As City wilted in the heat Tiverton, with fresh legs since the interval, began to dominate midfield. Steele came close to scoring the ninth goal of the game with a powerful right foot drive which had Davies scrambling across his goal. There was to be no such let off with fifteen minutes remaining however. Winter got clear down the right and his measured cross was powered home by Edwards who got between Langston and Pluck.

With the visiting supporters buoyant and nerves jangling around the rest of the ground, Gary Roberts withdrew the tiring Battersby to allow Robbie Simpson to run at Tiverton’s over worked defence.

Simpson’s energy created uncertainty in the visitors back line and within two minutes of his arrival City netted a decisive sixth to restore their two goal cushion. Scott laid the ball wide to Pope whose subtle header found Miller in space on the right hand side of the box. Given time to turn the former Bedford player lofted the ball into the far post where the grateful Bloomfield was on hand to smash home from virtually on the goal line.

Scott, who like Battersby had made an immense contribution and was by now exhausted made way for Rob Nightingale as City looked to see out the remaining minutes without further alarm, which they did. As Miller and Pope tried to run down the clock by taking the ball into the corner the full back squared up to Chenoweth which earned the pair a yellow card apiece but Mr Saliy’s final whistle sounded moments later and City had secured a vital victory, giving their supporters a week to repair their frayed nerve endings ahead of the final push at Worcester next Saturday.