City overcame determined and hitherto unbeaten opposition when a goal in either half secured progress to the next round of the FA Cup. Daventry Town came to Milton Road with not only an unbeaten streak of seven league matches but in possession of a mean defence that had yet to concede a goal this season.
 
Manger Gary Roberts was in no doubt of the quality of the opposition, warning his team beforehand that a full-blooded performance was in order. As it happened, the Lilywhites proved well up to the task avoiding a potentially embarrassing banana skin with a performance that should have been rewarded with more than two goals.
 

Neil Midgley tries to wriggle free

It was the visitors, however, who slightly shaded the first 15 minutes, showing a crispness in the tackle and a determination to dominate. On just six minutes, following Fuller’s indiscretion on the left, the resulting free kick skidded across the City goal and to safety when on another day a deflection might have sent the ball in to the net.
 
But once City had settled and found their rhythm they began to carve out space and chances, an early one occurring on 17 minutes when Adrian Cambridge found himself unmarked on the right and able to put in a testing cross which was too good for the Daventry defence, and as it transpired, too good for his forwards who failed to attack the ball.
 
Lee Chaffey did better two minutes later when he met Cambridge’s corner from the right with a header that bounced before Joe Melling was able to collect. Slowly but surely, City were beginning to take control of the game, forcing a corner on the left on 23 minutes. Cambridge’s cross was eventually played back to Fuller, stationed a couple of yards outside of the box. The wide player set himself to shoot, launching a drive at the Daventry goal. Depending on your point of view, Steve Gentle either turned, saw the ball crashing towards him and felt the ball ricochet off him and into the net or the number nine showed fantastic reflexes and a deft touch to caress a glancing header past  Joe Mellings in the Daventry goal. Either way, City were one to the good and Daventry’s sting had been well and truly drawn.
 
City’s game took on greater confidence, the visitors now second to the ball and living off scraps. On 36 minutes, the Fuller picked the ball up in his own half, working his way down the left by combining with Neil Midgley. The winger’s final cross found Steve  Gentle who couldn’t quite finish off a promising move.
 
John Frendo showed what a danger he was on 40 when he unleashed a fantastic strike that brought an equally impressive response from Mellings, who was just able to punch the ball high over his bar for a corner.
 
It was clear when the second half started that City were keen to control every aspect of the match by starving the visitors of possession. More or less pegged back in their own half, Daventry were forced to defend deeply as City pushed forward in wave after wave of attacks. On 47 minutes Fuller and Krause worked well down the left, the resulting cross being scrambled away for a corner. A minute later, City had a penalty claimed waved away and seconds later, Gentle completely miscued Krause’s centre. City still pressed forward, Nightingale releasing Frendo on 53, the City forward testing Mellings yet again.

Steve Gentle is inches from connecting

Surely City’s pressure would pay off. Frendo linked with Gentle who supplied Fuller, whose cross was untidily sliced away by Chris Goodwin for a corner.  A minute later, Midgley set up Fuller who drove in a fierce cross that was inches away from Gentle’s outstretched leg.

Finally, City’s pressure resulted in a goal on the hour. Krause beat his man with a neatly cushioned header that put him behind the Daventry defence. His cross was eventually worked back to him, enabling the fullback to square the ball to Frendo who thumped the ball home with gusto. 2-0 to City and game over.
 
Following the goal, Fuller blasted over on 67, then slapped a shot wide on 72 before Robbie Nightingale had a goal denied by a helpful crossbar on 72. Quite how Frendo missed on 79 can only be answered by close reference to the video. The energetic number 7 rounded the keeper and seemed certain to score. However, his stumble caused the ball to miss by inches – but had the keeper clipped him? Referee Nigel Smith waved the claim away and that was that.
 
Meanwhile Daventry toiled away and to their credit made inroads whenever they found meaningful possession. But this was not to be a day of upsets. Although just two goals was perhaps an inadequate reward for their efforts, given the start to the season Daventry made, and City’s past record of stumbling against lower-ranked opposition there were no complaints about the outcome.
 
Credit to both teams for playing the game in the right spirit, too. No yellow cards, no nasty tackles and a referee who willing to keep the game flowing. And crucially for City, no slip up.