Craig Pope’s first goal in City colours was not enough to secure maximum points at Havant & Waterlooville as the home side hit back with a goal from former Margate frontman, Rocky Baptiste.

Hosts Havant, showed three changes to their side that recorded a 3-1 win over Carshalton Athletic last time out, new signing Shea Saunders, Neil Sharp and Brett Poate replacing Sam Pearce, Jason Chewins and Matt Gray. City on the other hand named an unchanged line-up from the one that saw the Lilywhites into the First Round of the FA Cup last weekend.

Paul Booth evades Neil Sharp

The first half was a pretty even contest but lacked that many direct attempts on goal as both sides failed on a number of occasions to make the best of good approach play.

Early on, City threatened twice in a minute. A strong run from Josh Simpson saw the product of City’s Academy slip the ball into Paul Booth’s run but Colin Matthews was quickly off his line to smother the ball. Then Havant gave away possession from a throw-in deep in their own territory, Booth seized on the chance and found Robbie Simpson who flashed a drive from the edge of the area, just wide of the target.

The Hawks first threat to the City goal came from Brett Poate as the visitors failed to clear their lines, the former Southampton man slamming an angled shot past the upright. Havant came at City again moments later. Poate’s cross to the back-post looked to be going long but Shea Saunders headed back across goal and Danny Naisbitt did well to palm the ball away as Jamie Collins looked to turn the it home.

On ten minutes, Mark Molesley was fouled 3o yards from goal. He picked himself up and as most around him were still organising themselves, he fired in a great shot that flew past Matthews upright, although the keeper looked to have it covered. Jamie Collins failed to make the most of a sweeping move from the home side after Josh Simpson was expertly robbed by Baptiste. Poate’s cross from the left picked out the run of Collins but he failed to control the ball and City cleared. There was more confusion in the City rearguard as Molesley sliced Robbie Pethicks cross alarmingly towards his own net but Naisbitt spared the midfielders blushes with a good catch.

The end to end nature of the game continued with Craig Dobson producing a scintillating run to play in Booth who had made ground into the area, however, the striker’s first touch was a little too heavy and Tom Jordan was able to slide in to disposess him. Moments later another half chance went begging. Lee Chaffey’s long ball down the flank was misjudged by Luke Byles and Booth nipped in behind him, but a combination of the defender attempting to atone for his error and Matthews, saw the ball dribble into the keeper’s arms.

Goalscorer Craig Pope swings in a cross

Havant then showed their wasteful side as a good move got Collins in behind Pope but with team-mates lining up for the killer ball, his cross was woefully over-hit and sailed out for a throw-in.

As the interval approached, some fine one-touch passing between Molesley, Chaffey and Dale Binns saw the latter find Booth on the edge of the Havant area. In a flash the former Welling striker, who notched a hat-trick on his last visit to Westleigh Park, cut across his marker and smashed the ball goalwards but only found the chest of Matthews. City finished the half strongly with Booth providing Dobson with an inch perfect lay-off that the tricky winger blasted goalwards and would have probably forced Matthews into action had Sharp not produced a fine block at the expense of a corner.

Four minutes of the second half had gone when Havant were completely opened up as City took the lead. Dobson’s ball through the middle was taken on by Booth. Using the supporting run of Pope to draw the defenders he cut inside before producing a perfect pass back into Pope who was in acres of space to slot the ball past Matthews and into the far corner.

It is said that a team is at it’s most vulnerable having just scored and this fact was underlined as Havant almost levelled two minutes later. Somehow, a harmless ball into the area was not cleared effectively and the ball broke for Collins eight yards out but he failed to find the back of the net, Naisbitt producing a fabulous save.

City responded well with Robbie Simpson getting the better of Jordan before slipping in Booth who had Matthews at full stretch as he whipped the ball across the face of goal. City kept up the pressure with Molesley winning the ball in the centre circle and producing a surging run and shot that Matthews failed to hold, Josh Simpson hitting the side-netting with his follow-up.

Tom Jordan uses unorthodox methods in an attempt to stop Mark Molesley

City didn’t let up and should have doubled their advantage after 57 minutes when Dobson pinged in a good early cross that Robbie Simpson, bursting into the six yard area, failed by inches to turn home.

Jordan forced Naisbitt to get down smartly to stop his 35 yard piledriver and Dobson saw a near-post shot well held before, out of the blue, the home side levelled. Byles made his way up the left hand side before passing inside to Baptiste. He advanced and as no defender came to challenge, he tried his luck with a low drive which although not that well hit, took a deflection off Glen Fuff giving Naisbitt no chance.

Following the goal, Havant enjoyed a spell in the ascendancy and City were called on to repel borders for a time but although the City defence creaked a few times with the home side forcing some corners, it never looked likely to be breached. The best chance falling to Baptiste who blazed the ball miles over the bar when well placed.

Just as they had in the first half, City finished strongly and should have taken the points but for an outstanding save from Matthews. Molesley was again at the centre of things as he avoided a challenge from Collins to produce a trademark burst upfield, finding Simpson on the right. The striker produced a teasing cross that saw Michael Gash, on as a substitute, fire in a rising shot from no more than six yards that Matthews somehow managed to turn away.

That wasn’t the end of it for City and they again went close three minutes later. A slick one-two saw Molesley streaking away again before finding Robbie Simpson who’s drive beat Matthews but curled inches wide of the post.

As the minutes ran down, Havant looked increasingly desperate as both Poate and Byles tried to win the game with woeful long range strikes, Byles effort in particular looking more likely to worry the corner flag than the City goal.

Havant threatened to snatch all three points as the final action of the game saw Poate’s dangerous inswinging corner drop in the area, but it wasn’t to be for the home side as City scrambled the ball way.