With Richard Scott and Craig Pope still out City’s only change from last Sunday saw the injured Dale Binns replaced by Jon Stevenson, who partnered Dave Sadler in attack with Robbie Simpson playing wide.

Hopes were high amongst the large travelling contingent that the Lilywhites would bounce back from an uncharacteristically poor showing last time out and record a tenth league victory on their travels. However, with less than a minute on the clock the hosts had already served notice that their win at the City Ground was no fluke as only the thickness of the crossbar separated them from a dream start.

Dave Sadler looks to be first to reach the ball

Lee Clarke won a free kick some thirty yards out and Nick Roddis launched what appeared to be a fairly routine ball into the heart of the City box. However a statuesque defence looked on as Ben Martin ran into space and poked a hopeful shot against the woodwork with Duncan Roberts stranded.

After this early scare the visitors settled, containing the hosts without showing any of the counter attacking flair that has been their trademark on the road this season. Paul Bastock’s first touch coming some fifteen minutes in when he comfortably fielded Robbie Simpson’s header from a Steve Dell centre.

Moments later the Saints spurned another golden chance to snatch the lead, Matt Hann played in Lee Clarke who sprang the City offside trap and found himself one on one with Roberts through the inside left channel, however, the former Peterborough striker who scored the second goal at Milton Road, fired wide when well placed to work the ‘keeper.

Dean Hooper then centred from the right for Clarke who beat Glen Fuff in the air only for the Lilywhites centre back to recover superbly and block the striker’s follow-up.

What little pattern there was to the game was then disrupted by a series of yellow cards, a trend which seemed to suit the hosts rather than the visitors although amongst the flurry of bookings City produced their one worthwhile effort of the afternoon. Duncan Roberts’ wind assisted goal kick was only partly cleared, falling to Dave Sadler on the edge of the box, in a central position. The Lilywhites’ leading marksman got off a clean strike which forced Bastock into a good stop as he dived to his left and parried behind for a corner.

The Saints finished the half in the ascendancy however. As Robbie Simpson was forced back into defensive duty his clearing header from Hann’s cross fell invitingly for Tom Davis whose dipping drive from distance narrowly cleared the angle of post and crossbar.

New signing, Steve Dell turns away from an opponent

There was still time for another assault on the City goal as Dean Hooper’s centre found Tom Beech who was denied by Matt Langston’s brave block but the ball fell kindly for Matt Hann who could only chip over the bar with Roberts off his line, leaving the Lilywhites the happier of the two sides with the score sheet blank at the interval.

So often this season City have come out for the second half and upped the tempo if the first 45 minutes haven’t gone their way, but they appeared slow out of the blocks as Tom Davis won an early corner and the ball was worked wide to Chris Seeby who fired over the bar.

The well drilled Saints played with two banks of four across defence and midfield and denied City any real space to work. When Jon Stevenson found himself with room for the first time he laid the ball intelligently into the path of Carl Williams who had a clear run on goal. The former Hitchin midfielder fired across the face of the six yard box but the ball struck Ben Martin, fell kindly for the hosts and was hacked to safety.

A decent spell of possession then culminated in the Hertfordshire side striking the woodwork for the second time as the ball was worked to Matt Hann on the left his curling drive rebounded off the angle of post and crossbar with Roberts beaten.

Worse so soon to follow for City as the Saints grabbed the lead with a scrappy goal in keeping with a scrappy game. Tom Davis’ right wing corner was only partly cleared to Hooper, despite the skipper mis-hitting his attempted return, the home side were first to react and the ball was worked back to Davis who, although still inside the area, was given time and space to angle a centre across the face of the Lilywhites’ goal. Neither defenders nor attackers were able to get a boot on the ball as it squirmed all the way to Tom Beech on the far post who gratefully prodded home.

Jon Stevenson has no chance as a defender clears

Gary Roberts made an immediate change introducing Lee Chaffey for his first outing since being injured in the FA Cup victory over Leigh RMI at the expense of Lee Summerscales. The City boss soon followed this switch with a further double swap, with Josh Simpson and Matt Robinson replacing Alex Fiddes and Jon Stevenson respectively.

Although the substitutes were unable to change the inevitable course of the game the passing improved with Chaffey comfortable coming forward and Simpson and Robinson prepared to play the ball on the ground and probe for openings from the centre of the park.

The Saints still looked the more likely of the two sides to score however and Clarke connected with Davis’s free kick to force Roberts into a save at the foot of the post and Hann whipped in a dangerous cross from the left forcing Chaffey into a last gasp clearing header.

With five minutes to go the underworked Bastock flapped unconvincingly at Steve Dell’s free kick but on an afternoon when nothing went right for the visitors the loose ball fell at the feet of a yellow shirted defender. The last meaningful action of a game that ended as it had begun in driving rain.

From going into Boxing Day with leaders Grays in their sights, City must now spend January trying to consolidate their play off position whilst hoping that some of those missing from the action will be available for selection sooner rather than later.