A Neil Midgley penalty, three minutes from time, was enough to give City a victory that sees them move up into the Premier Division Play-off places and extend their unbeaten run in the league to four games.

In a end to end game played on a difficult bumpy pitch which did nothing to help City’s style of play, it was soon to become apparent that Hemel relied heavily on dead-ball situations with two chances coming from free-kicks in the first five minutes. Zac Barrett comfortably held Adam Martin’s drive following a deep ball headed back across goal and then Paul Edgeworth saw his side-foot finish slip just wide following a goalmouth melee.

Calliste is watched closely

Hemel came close from a corner when Gary Sippetts flicked on at the near-post before City found their way to the target with a chance from a corner of their own as Scott Neilson helped the ball on to Dave Theobald, who’s snap-shot was grabbed under his bar by Ian Brown.

City thought they should have been awarded a penalty in the 24th minute when Midgley appeared to be bundled to the ground by Yiadom Yeboah as he raced in on Ramon Calliste’s near-post cross. Unfortunately for the Lilywhites, the referee didn’t see it their way and awarded only a corner.

Hemel continued to be a threat from set plays and Barrett was on his mettle to palm away Chris Dillon’s close range poke after Yeboah had headed a corner back across goal.

Play switched to the other end and James Krause came within inches of breaking the deadlock when his deflected shot from 20 yards beat Brown, but thumped against the foot of the post. Calliste pounced on the rebound, but the big stopper was quickly to his feet to beat away the striker’s follow-up. From the resulting corner, Theobald grazed the crossbar with a powerful header.

Theobald was at it again moments later when a quick throw from Adie Cambridge saw the big defender bursting into the area. Brown came to Hemel’s rescue again, turning Theobald’s angled drive around the post.

City hit the ground running in the second half and controlled the play for the first fifteen minutes, creating some promising opportunities, and should have gone ahead after only three. A lovely sweeping move saw Calliste find Neilson, the midfielder holding the ball for a moment before picking out Stephen Smith who, with the goal at his mercy, could only put his shot straight down Brown’s throat.

Nunn bursts down the flank

The Tudors finally found their way back into the game with a trademark long throw from Yeboah that had the City defence at sixes and sevens. Although initially repelled, the ball fell loose to Nathan Bowden-Haase who lobbed it to the far post where Edgeworth must have thought he had scored until Barrett appeared from nowhere to turn his header away.

Now it was Hemel’s chance to turn the screw, forcing a series of corners. From one, Edgeworth saw a stooping header cleared off the line by Stephen Smith. When the loose ball was fired back in by Martin, it was turned home by Dillon. However, he was standing in an offside position and his wild celebrations were cut short by the assistant’s flag.

Hemel were cursing their luck again soon after. A surging run and defence splitting pass from Martin set up Edgeworth on the left. He cut inside and curled a floated shot beyond Barrett, but unfortunately for the home faithful, it struck the top of the bar.

City hit back with Theobald having a diving header following Cambridge’s corner kick, hacked off the line, then Ash Fuller, on as a substitute for Krause, saw his drive from just outside the area, shave the post.

Despite the best efforts of both sides, it looked like the game was heading for a draw, but City were handed a guilt edge chance to take the points when the referee pointed to the spot following a clumsy challenge on Midgley by Bowden-Haase. Midgley stepped up to take the kick himself and kept a cool head to beat Brown with a drive down the middle.

The game looked won, but there was still time for Edgeworth to find the woodwork again as the clock clicked into the 90th minute. Another well taken corner caused mayhem in City’s area and during an almighty scramble, Edgeworth hooked the ball over his shoulder and onto the face of the bar. City survived though and recorded their first win on the road this season to continue their push up the league.