Controversial defeat for City on the road

City fell to their 4th away defeat of the season but the game wasn't without its controversy yet again.

The Lilywhites lined up without long-term absentees Joe Hood, Tommy Rigby and Ryan Swift. Daniel Cotton was rested on the bench while Mikey Davies came back into the side. Pat Staszewski was also recalled by Cambridge United Under 18s.

Confidence was high after the weekend's 4-1 home victory and Khalsa were coming in off the back of a 6-0 reverse at home to Corby Town.

Stefan Broccoli came close early on, getting on the end of a corner that somehow missed everyone at the near post, unfortunately, the chance game quickly to him and he could only prod the ball straight at the keeper from 5 yards out.

Not to be deterred, Broccoli did open the scoring for City on 23 minutes. After some slick passing play put Liam Chadwick through, the midfielder fired the ball into the box from the touchline and as Khalsa keeper Sam Arnold Spilled the cross, Broccoli was on hand to stab the ball home from close range.

The lead didn't last too long and on 34 minutes a hopeful up and under from inside the home teams half ricocheted off the out-stretched arm of a Khalsa attacker and fell to Tounami Sidibe who lifted the ball over the on rushing Joe Welch.

Two pretty scrappy goals in all honesty in a half that created very few clear cut chances for either side.

Khalsa took the lead pretty much straight from the kick-off. A ball forward caught the City defence off guard and as the striker rushed into the box, heading away from goal, Joe Welch advanced and, as he did at Coleshill, saved well at his feet pushing the ball out for what should have been a throw in. The the amazement of all, the Assistant referee flagged for a foul and the referee duly pointed to the spot.

James McGrady stepped up and despatched the penalty and from then on the game really never came alive again. City came close when Arnold pulled off a stunning save from a Broccoli header and Alex Kerr came close after some neat inter passing on the right, the full-back flashed a powerful effort across goal, narrowly missing the target.

City played some good stuff at times but were lacking that bit of bit of quality in the final third. A dubious officiating decision was the only difference between the two sides.

With the rotten luck we've had so far at Bedworth, Coleshill and now here at Khalsa we'll be hoping for better at second bottom Boldmere St Michaels on Saturday. Sadly we are likely to be without Taylor Parr after he limped off in the second half.