City extended their unbeaten league run to nine games and maintained a healthy six point lead over play-off rivals Thurrock as they negotiated their third successive home game against fellow promotion hopefuls in the space of eight days.

The Lilywhites were boosted by the return from injury of Glen Fuff, who took over from Brady Stone in the centre of defence and Alex Fiddes who made the bench. Richard Scott started a league game for the first time since the victory at Grays a week before Christmas, deputising for ‘flu victim Rob Miller.

City are rightly proud of their away record this season but Thurrock came into this match with an identical tally of 32 points and ten wins from fifteen starts. However they suffered their heaviest defeat on the road last Saturday falling victim to Yemi Odubade’s hat-trick at Eastbourne in a 4-0 reverse (the loanee striker taking his tally to five in two games after his brace at Milton Road last Tuesday), Mark Goodfellow’s straight red card on 29 minutes not helping their cause. Manager Colin McBride drafting in Craig Davidson to replace Goodfellow who dropped to the bench. Three further changes saw Ryan Kirby, Adam Parker and Lee Hodges make way for John Buffong, Kris Lee and former City loanee Simon Martin respectively.

In much the same way as they started Saturday’s game against Basingstoke, the Lilywhites were caught on the back foot by Thurrock’s direct approach and a spell of good early pressure culminated in David Collis finding Glenn Poole who was allowed far to much room to collect a short corner before firing dangerously at goal.

Although spending most of the opening twenty minutes on the back foot City limited the visitors to a series of speculative long-range efforts which lacked the quality to trouble Duncan Roberts.

Midway through the half Glen Fuff’s comeback came to a premature end as he collapsed to the floor with an apparent recurrence of the hamstring injury which has sidelined him for the past six weeks. Although in Brady Stone the Lilywhites had a very capable deputy on the bench, the Cambridge United loanee is cup-tied for Saturday’s visit of Hucknall in the FA Trophy, leaving Gary Roberts with another selection headache.

Shortly afterwards, City mounted their first meaningful attack on goal, benefiting from Richard Scott’s measured midfield passing Dale Binns scampered down the left before centring low to Dave Sadler who was denied by John Purdie’s timely intervention.

The Lilywhites then worked a short corner routine of their own, Matt Robinson laying the ball off to Lee Chaffey whose accurate centre was met by a well timed Josh Simpson leap, the teenage midfielder apparently destined to open the scoring with a powerful header only for former Northampton Town custodian Andy Woodman to finger-tip the effort away to safety at full stretch.

A little over half an hour in, Colin McBride withdrew right back David Collis and replaced him with Goodfellow, there was no apparent sign of injury so this may have been a tactical switch to counter the pace of City wingman Dale Binns.

With the Liywhites now getting the ball down and making the most of their superior passing quality they enjoyed their best spell of the match. Craig Pope’s centre was intercepted by Purdie whose mis-directed header allowed Dave Sadler to guide the ball into the path of Matt Robinson, taking a touch to allow him to accelerate away from the trailing defender the former Ipswich youngster attempted to fire back across the advancing Woodman, but the ‘keeper anticipated well and made a fine block although both players required treatment as a result of the ensuing collision.

Another quality centre from Pope, turning in an accomplished display at right back, was again astutely knocked down by Sadler, creating a shooting opportunity for Robinson who this time got off a clean strike only for Woodman to make another good scrambling stop at the expense of a corner. Robinson himself took the resultant place kick, his near post delivery causing havoc in the Thurrock defence as Josh Simpson flashed a header across the face of goal.

City had one further attempt on goal before the interval when Dale Binns sped skilfully between two defenders on the edge of the box but elected to fire straight at Woodman on his near post when crossing may have been a better option.

The Lilywhites made a bright start to the second period and probed intelligently down the left where Lee Chaffey gave Binns excellent support. The visitors for the most part relied on a direct approach playing practically everything long from back to front and relying on the strength of their strikers, but City’s well drilled back line, marshalled by the dominant Matt Langston, kept the Essex side at arm’s length.

Thurrock made the most of a quick breakaway on the hour mark to register their best effort on goal. John Buffong’s quickly taken throw in on the right was nodded inside by Simon Martin to Danny Shipp who sent a first time volley dipping narrowly over the bar.

The Milton Road faithful then got their first chance to see new signing Sam Cooper, the former Redbridge wide man replacing Dale Binns who was still feeling the effects of a heavy Buffong challenge.

Having been for the most part the better side, City then twice came close to conceding a goal. Predictably, as they had offered little from open play, it was a set piece move which provided the visitors’ with their best chance to threaten.

In quick succession, once from the right and once from the left, John Buffong’s immense throw-ins caused chaos deep in City territory. On the first occasion the Lilywhites failed to clear at the near post and the ball squirmed across the face of goal where Kris Lee somehow miscued from point blank range when it seemed easier to score. Next, Buffong’s delivery (as good as a free kick or a corner) was helped on to the far post where Danny Shipp flashed another volley narrowly wide.

With City flagging and Thurrock resigned to the fact that they were unlikely to create an opening that would give them a clear sight of goal, both sides appeared to settle for a share of the spoils that keeps them both very much in contention, as a result, neither ‘keeper was forced into serious action during the final ten minutes and the game faded to a close.

The Lilywhites can take a temporary break from their punishing league schedule as they look forward to entertaining Hucknall in the FA Trophy at the weekend, but it appears they’ll be faced yet again with defensive reorganisation.