A much better performance from City this week brought them a timely, albeit narrow single goal victory in what was a fairly tight game, but an early goal for the hosts coupled with some dogged defending saw them through to a much needed win and three welcome points.

The first significant action of the day saw City take the lead in just the fifth minute. A long ball forward from keeper Jack Delo was flicked on by Jordan Casey and found James Turner bustling through into the box and despite being nearly hauled to the ground, he remained upright long enough to strike the ball home past a rather flat-footed keeper for 1-0. A mention here for the referee Mr Zachwieja who clearly spotted the foul but allowed play to continue to see if City could take an advantage and once City had scored he also spoke to the defender concerned as well, making it quite clear he had seen exactly what had gone on!

City were having by far the better of the early exchanges and with a goal already tucked into their belts, they went in search of a second. A great turn over on the right by Kane Phillip saw his ball across gathered in by Turner and he cut inside, stepped away from a defender before sending a shot curling in towards the top corner only to see the ball take a last second glancing deflection off a defender and go out for a corner. This was sent in and palmed out by Punjab keeper Lee Kidman falling straight to Casey whose first time bullet shot beat everyone but was somehow cleared off the line by a rather desperate and out-stretched leg, following which a Dave Pilcher free-kick was then headed back out of the Punjab defence but fell invitingly for Joe Nelder who could only volley it back in but over the bar.

It was looking all City at this stage and another chance came and went when Casey struck an inviting free-kick straight at the Punjab wall only to see the ball roll out for a fruitless corner.

Despite all their pressure, City were then a little lucky not to concede an equaliser when a decent move and some good build-up play down the visitor’s left saw a lovely cross headed home with some aplomb, it looked a great ‘goal’ but fortunately for City they were rescued by the linesman’s offside flag. Punjab went close again shortly after when a ball slid forward by Anthony Adesite saw George Goodwin chase it into the box and get a shot off only to see the alert Delo come sliding out with a great blocking save with the loose ball being quickly cleared out of harm’s way.

City responded though when a lovely flowing move involving six different players ended with Casey dribbling his way into the box before rifling a shot agonisingly, just the wrong side of the upright. At the other end, City were then soon indebted to Delo again as he faced another one-on-one when William Johnson-Cole this time forced his way through but the keeper was out sharply to save once more as the striker attempted to poke it past him into what would have been an empty net.

Despite Punjab’s resurgence, City still continued to try to extend their lead, Casey picked the pocket of Joe Loft as he dallied with the ball before sending a first-time effort wide of the angle, while another opportunity came and went for City as a nicely placed attacking free-kick was well struck by Adam Woollcott, but over the wall and straight at Kidman.

Punjab were far from out of it though and a snap shot from Johnson-Cole flew well over the City bar and then, after some clever, if over-elaborate footwork from Goodwin and Adesite, Loft had a fierce shot charged down and cleared to safety. Punjab were enjoying a bit of pressure but in the run up to the break, a corner and an attacking free-kick were both spurned though as they were comfortably dealt with by City’s solid looking defence.

A very good first-half for City, a goal ahead but maybe deserved to be further in front, but a note of caution that Punjab were right on their heels and looking likely to be difficult to shake off.

If City had won the first-half, then Punjab probably took the second creating several presentable chances to get themselves level. Johnson-Cole was first up, doing well to work his way onto the City box, but his shot was comfortably saved by Delo, while a couple of minutes later, the same player cut inside from the right but skied his next effort well over the bar. Delo then denied him again shortly after when, after a great piercing run through by Adesite, Johnson-Cole’s fierce shot was well beaten away to safety by the keeper.

City though, had their moments too, as Casey snatched at a shot that curled wide across goal and then Michael Turner won the ball well in defence and sent Phillip on the counter-attack down the left, but having done all the hard work to get into position, his cross was slightly wayward and failed to find a City shirt.

It was end to end stuff and a Punjab corner to the far post was knocked dangerously back across goal with Laurence Harvey rising highest to head it back over his own bar to safety. The resultant corner was then far too long and ended up going out for a City throw-on which Casey jumped on and quickly hurled forward into space for James Turner to chase right into the Punjab box only to see his shot blocked by Kidman as the keeper charged out to close him down, the ball remained alive though and Phillip’s follow up effort was then brilliantly blocked by a back-tracking defender and cleared to safety.

With around twenty-five minutes still to play, the match was poised to go either way, but surprisingly, it then became bogged down. A series of stoppages, free-kicks, yellow cards and substitutions etc took the flow out of the game and if anything, played a little into the visitor’s hands who chance wise, dominated the remaining time.

A stinging free-kick from substitute Sam Cuthbert was tipped over the bar by a well positioned Delo, while a lovely ball curled in by Ryan Jarrett was met by Goodwin with a thumping downward header that was superbly saved by Delo with a cracking point-blank stop. Punjab were pushing hard and a loose ball by City was pounced upon by Johnson-Cole and he got behind the City defence but his low ball in across the City box found only defenders as no-one else had got forward. At the other end Pilcher sprang through on the break, but Kidman came sprinting out to pluck the ball off his toe.

As the stoppages continued and the clock wound down, Arun Suman cut inside but fired well over the City bar and Adesite similarly saw his effort go the same way. With a minute left of normal time and every City player back to defend their slender lead, a free-kick flew into the City box but was confidently fisted away to safety by Delo and then a stoppage time corner saw a shot from Loft bravely charged down by Harvey as he threw himself at the ball to make the block.

The whistle finally came with City, not exactly hanging on, but relieved to hear it just the same.

A much better performance from City today, some determined defending mixed with a lot more fight, desire, effort and purpose, all of which were missing in the cup last week.

Final score: Canterbury City 1 Punjab United 0

City: Joe Delo, Michael Turner, James Nurden, Laurence Harvey, Liam Quinn, Adam Woollcott, Kane Phillip, Dave Pilcher (Josh Froggatt), Jordan Casey (Adie Desanges), James Turner (Dan Keyte), Joe Nelder
Unused Subs: Emmanuel Ndah, Rob Lawrence