Gary Roberts’ warning of guarding against a Stourbridge backlash couldn’t have been clearer. However, his team were unable to replicate the form that saw them cruise to a six-one week the week before, this time succumbing to a three-one reverse against a side that had a point to prove.

In truth, the previous score line was flattering to City and had Stourbridge taken the initiative at 3-1 down, as indeed they threatened to, then the result would have been very different. But City capitalised well on that occasion and took away the spoils.

This week, it was another story. First the team news. Tony Burke started at the expense of Ashley Fuller with new signing Ricky Miller on the bench.

City did well in the opening exchanges, having more than their share of possession and territory without converting them to goals. Indeed it was the home team that took the lead thanks to a slightly fortuitous goal from Ben Billingham. His cross from out wide carried over Zac Barrett’s head and into the net. Was it a shot? Or a cross? It didn’t matter – it was a goal on 11 minutes and City were up against it and had to withstand quite a battering over the next ten minutes.

The Lilywhites got back into the game on 25 when they finally played the ball out of defence to Tony Burke out wide on the left. He lost the ball, fought back for it and picked out James Krause on the overlap. His cross found John Frendo whose shot brought the best out of keeper Lewis Solly, palmed the ball out to Neil Midgley who tapped in his fifth league goal in four games.

And that was as good as it was to be for the Lilywhites. In the second half, with fifteen minutes to go, City might have thought that a share of the points was on the cards. But Sam Rock’s shot from just inside the box on 75 restored the home team’s lead and when Leon Broadhurst headed home minutes later it was game, set and match.

The top third of the table is getting very crowded and while one poor result doesn’t spell the end of the world, it does put the focus on Saturday’s match against fellow promotion contenders and rivals Bashley. Three losses in the league is hardly a disaster and with a squad that looks stronger in February than it did in August, City have every chance of bouncing back again.