City brought the curtain down on their Milton Road league fixtures with an improved display but no change of luck in front of goal as they battled out a goalless draw with Havant on a night when both teams looked short on confidence and quality.

City’s disappointing 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Newport on Saturday took their winless run to seven games, the Lilywhites had failed to score in their previous four home matches, Gary Roberts responded by resting Mark Molesley (injured) Paul Booth (injured but on the bench) and Robbie Simpson with Jamie Southon, Daniel Blanchett and Stephen Hughes, the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation, stepping in.

The Hawks came into the game with a much better chance of clinching the final play-off spot ahead of their hosts. A 2-0 win at Lewes on Easter Monday put them in pole position but a 1-0 defeat at home to second placed St Albans on Saturday left them with work to do. Injured ‘keeper Gareth Howells was replaced by Mark Brown and in a straight swap Richard Pacquette started ahead of Carl Wilson-Denis.

After a low key opening Rocky Baptiste almost took Danny Naisbitt by surprise in the seventh minute when he collected a left wing throw and unleashed a fierce drive which the City ‘keeper did well to divert over the bar.

Danny Naisbitt finds himself under pressure from Havant's Baptiste

Havant carved out the next half chance when Brett Poate’s right sided corner eventually landed at the feet of Neil Sharp at the far post but he fired over the angle of the goal.

City sprang to life twenty minutes in with an expansive move. Dale Binns freed Craig Dobson with a cross field ball and the speedy winger raced into space before delivering a near post cross which Josh Simpson volleyed over.

Stephen Hughes, whose physical presence troubled the Hawks’ back line, chased a long free kick from Danny Naisbitt and got between Tom Jordan and the advancing Brown to poke an effort inches wide of goal.

With just under half an hour played Havant were forced into a change when the injured Fitzroy Simpson limped out of the action, Shea Saunders coming on in his place.

The game came to life in the closing stages of the half as both sides created openings. First Dobson latched onto Craig Pope’s through ball showed great control and played a low ball into Simpson who raked a shot across the face of goal.

As Havant hit back Saunders collected the ball in centre field, moved forward purposefully and sent a low drive to Naisbitt’s left forcing a good save from the City stopper.

Havant should have grabbed the lead in the dying moments of normal time. A City attack broke down and the visitors countered at pace. Pacquette raced clear down the right but with Luke Byles and Saunders unmarked on the far post the striker elected to shoot, failing to find the target, when a controlled pass would have left either of his team mates with a simple tap-in.

The final action of the half saw City denied by the thickness of an upright. Craig Dobson switched to the left and sent in a fine centre which found the head of Matt Langston who had stayed forward from a previous attack. The towering central defender, who surprisingly hasn’t scored this season, guided a header beyond the statuesque Brown only to see it bounce of the post and away.

As the second half got underway Havant scorned another gilt edged opportunity. An awkward bouncing ball deceived City’s rearguard falling kindly for Baptiste just inside the box but with only Naisbitt to beat he blazed wastefully wide.

Havant were enjoying the better of things at this stage, after Craig Watkins had replaced Pacquette a good break down the left saw the ball switched to Poate who forced Naisbitt into another good stop.

In an attempt to freshen things up Gary Roberts made a double switch introducing Robbie Simpson and Paul Booth for Hughes and Southon.

Simpson was soon involved when Blanchett’s right wing corner caused havoc in the Havant box and he poked the loose ball wide.

Blanchett’s next contribution was almost equally as telling, a misplaced back pass sent Baptiste clear but again with only Naisbitt between the former Stevenage striker and the chance to cement the Hawks’ play off place his finish was shocking.

As Jordan became the third Havant player booked for an over physical challenge, his victim, Robbie Simpson shaped to take the resultant free kick from the edge of the area. Simpson curled a low effort around the wall and with Brown a mere spectator saw the ball cannon off the upright and back into play.

Saunders had a late chance to snatch all three points for Havant but shot straight at Naisbitt.

City to their credit took the game to the visitors right to the end and with Havant looking increasingly flaky at the back Brown was guilty of a crude lunge on Booth when the Lilywhites’ top scorer was clean through down the right.

A less than glorious end to league football at Milton Road for the season but despite recent setbacks City have again provided their supporters with another exciting season, often producing the goods in the most difficult of circumstances. As such the players were deserving of much better than the mere 245 who showed up on the night, especially as a number of the squad who have served the club so well will almost certainly have played their last home game in a Lilywhites’ shirt.