An action packed and entertaining encounter saw City come from behind twice eventually defeating Croydon 3-2 away this afternoon.

It was an enthralling match which swung one way and then the other, but City – probably fortunate to be only one goal down at half-time – were much better second half, came back to take the lead and in a frantic ending successfully held off a determined Croydon side now suddenly behind, as they desperately tried to find an equaliser.

Firstly it has to be said, that credit should go to both sides for serving up such an absorbing contest in some almost unbearably hot and stifling conditions although it looked as if Croydon were going to be too hot for City in the opening exchanges, as they once again conceded a relatively early goal.

Leo Dodds has already seen a first minute effort comfortably saved by Croydon keeper George Kamurasi, before on ten minutes the hosts took the lead. A cross from the left looked harmless enough with the City box well defended, but somehow it travelled through, wasn’t cleared and with two players spare at the back post, Tristan Noel pounced first to fire the ball home unchallenged from around eight yards out.

The portents weren’t looking good as just four minutes later, a Croydon corner from the left was sent in by Harvey Morton and found Tayler Maddock who, with City pretty static, stood his ground and glanced a back header just over the bar. City were under a lot of pressure but some of it they were bringing on themselves needing skipper Danny Keyte to pull off three bits of smart defending to try and stem the tide.

How Croydon didn’t double their lead on twenty-two minutes was purely down to the footballing gods as Morton swung over an inviting free-kick that Maddock back-headed again, but this time it thumped against the bar then cannoned off City keeper Tom Benham – who knew nothing about it before being quickly hacked away from danger by Jake McCarthy. Croydon recycled the ball and it was sent back in again and another header went just over as City were struggling to get to grips with their opponents in the box, especially the big centre-half Maddock.

With temperatures above thirty degrees and very bright sunshine, a drinks break was sensibly called by the officials – for City it was more like a much needed strategic time-out!

Straight after though, irrespective of what was said during the stoppage, City immediately should have conceded again when a simple and basically unhindered build-up from Croydon saw a cracking cross from Uli Fischer fly right across the face of the City goal and how Andy Walker didn’t connect with it from a foot out was anybody’s guess as it flew past his forehead to safety!

On twenty-nine minutes however, City turned the tide of the game when they equalised. It was a classic flowing move that started with some inspired and dogged play from Tim Marapara. Digging in after the ball, he saw off two or three strong challenges to finally gain control and laid off a quick pass to Dodds. He looked up and saw Nico Cotton bombing down through the left and with a perfectly weighted ball forward, Cotton took it in his stride and drew the keeper out before slotting it past him for 1-1.

City suddenly looked plugged in! Minutes later, another superbly crafted through ball – this time from Cotton had Marapara, lively and willing as ever, through on goal. However, Kamurasi was out a bit quicker, closed him down and having forced the City striker a little wide, the keeper was able to make a decent spreading close-range block.

Croydon’s next attack was effectively started by the referee when, while still lecturing two City players about the events leading up to a free-kick, he for whatever reason let Croydon get away with taking it quickly and they broke free and Keyte again came to the rescue at the expense of  a corner which Benham cleared. It was a curious decision by the official and could easily have led to a Croydon goal. Not to worry for the hosts though as their next goal came just two minutes later when, from another Morton corner, Maddock again strongly stood his ground and headed home from about two yards out to give Croydon back the lead.

Fischer then curled an effort well wide for the home side, while Marapara charged down a Kamurasi clearance only to see the ricochet fly wide. Although a miserly three minutes of stoppage time was signalled, in the over six and a half that were actually played, Sammy Morgan tried a sneaky near post shot, but Benham was alive to that, while at the other end Keyte swivelled to volley a flick on from Marapara but the ball flew wide of the far post.

An intriguing first-half ended with City somewhat fortunate to find themselves only the one goal behind, a statistic that would come back to haunt the hosts by the end of the game!

It took City just under two minutes from the restart to draw level. A free-kick just left of centre and about twenty-four yards out, saw Dodds and Rob Lawrence sizing up the situation. It was Dodds that struck it around the wall and seemingly safely into Kamurasi’s midriff, before inexplicably the big keeper spilled the ball and it bounced down between his legs and over the line before he could retrieve it – can’t wait to see the video of that one!

Croydon almost responded within a minute when the increasingly dangerous Morgan sent in a pearl of a low cross that Lauris Chin had only to side foot home from six yards out but somehow, Benham got down to deny him with a brilliant save. Chin then shot straight at Beham when he was well placed to do better, before Benham excelled again as another peach of a low cross was sent in by Morgan, the keeper bravely down to snaffle the ball among the incoming attackers’ feet.

Croydon were suddenly looking the next bet to score as a free-kick was pummelled into the City box taking a sight deflection for a corner which was then sent across for a header over the bar. Morgan, at times having the freedom of the attacking left quarter of the Croydon pitch then sent in another special that Fischer tried to convert but was penalised for the strength of his challenge on Benham.

It wasn’t all Croydon though, as a Lawrence cross almost found Marapara but for a last-ditch sliding block by Richard White at the expense of a City corner. A change for City saw the introduction of Darren Cooper and with the scores still level a further exchange of corners failed to give either side an advantage as the officials called a seventieth minute, well deserved drinks break as the intense heat continued unabated.

On seventy-seven minutes, the deadlock was broken when Lawrence skipped down the right wing and swept in a perfect low cross that found Dodds charging in at the far post with a timely run and he fired home from close range to give City the lead 3-2 – such was Maddock’s frustration at his side falling behind, he managed to talk his way into the referee’s sin bin, leaving his team down to ten men.

With plenty of time still to play the emphasis was on City, having secured the lead and having a man advantage, to see the game out. It wasn’t that straightforward though as Croydon created several chances to find an equaliser as City, too often failed to keep the ball and conceded numerous losses of possession and turnovers – far too many for the heartrate!

Substitute Ben Binder somehow saved City with a stunning clearing header when Croydon looked set to equalise, while after more outstanding work by Morgan, Morton scooped the ball over the City bar when he really should have done better. Morgan was looking the best source of a third Croydon goal, tricking and jinking his way though City challenges and after another tremendous cross, Keyte was needed to intervene and clear the City lines.

There were two further near misses for the visitors in the last five of the ninety as a Morton corner was arrowed in right under the bar forcing Benham to deflect the ball over before the ball was flashed right across the face of the City goal but fortunately there was nobody there in a Croydon shirt to turn it home.

With seven minutes of added time signalled, Croydon continued to press and in a frantic final period City still struggled to keep and look after the ball. Binder excelled again with another cracking clearance before Cotton pulled off an even better one somehow clearing the ball off an attackers toes when they seemed set to score. Eventually though, City managed to ride out the Croydon storm until the referee’s whistle finally came much to the relief of all the City collective!

Croydon might look at that as one that got away, but City won’t worry about that, they have their own results to take care of in what was an exciting game to watch and most importantly for City at least, three points and a much needed return to winning ways.

Final score: Croydon 2 Canterbury City 3

City: Tom Benham, Luka Radojevic, Nico Cotton, Danny Keyte, Teddy Nelson (Ben Binder), Liam Cormack, Jake McCarthy (Harry O’Donnell), Harry Maher (Darren Cooper), Rob Lawrence, Leo Dodds (Dan Binder), Tim Marapara (George Adams).