Bromsgrove are a club with similarities to City, suffering the consequences of past financial excesses and still in the midst of some conflict between fans and various directors. Few City fans can go into the Victoria Ground and not remember that awful afternoon in May 1991 when for a few minutes we all thought victory had won us promotion to the Conference. The highest reaches of non-league football seems a distant hope for both these clubs in their current state. 

City started brightly but before long the match settled into a pattern of long-balls and hopeful clearances. These were made even more difficult to control by a firm pitch that produced plenty of bobbles and inconsistent bounces. The only early events saw Baylo's shot blocked and an innocuous challenge on the Rovers keeper that left him hugging the floor.

With both sides largely clearing the midfield there were good chances for both sides as the ball flew from end to end. Ally Hines had to be wide awake to clutch onto a Bromsgrove header, and then Tucker needed to be alert to clear as another header flew back across the City six-yard box. However City enjoyed a good spell in the middle of the first half when only profligate finishing kept the score goalless.

First Steadman floated over a deep cross which Parnell met unchallenged, but he couldn't get any power behind his header. He almost made amends a few minutes later when his long ball saw Cox race clear. Cox was tugged by a Rovers defender, but the ball ran on to Smith who didn't have quite enough time to shoot before finding the keeper at his feet.

More City pressure saw a good move on the edge of the Bromsgrove box, Bayliss and Jenkins linked up before Jenks played in Cox with a quick one-two. Cox hit a firm shot but fired wide. Cox was then unfortunate to be flagged offside from another long ball. Perhaps the best City chance fell to Smith after Marshall and then Cox worked the ball across goal. Smith collected eight yards out but didn't get good contact and wasted the chance as it seemed to get trapped under his feet. City also had a free kick opportunity after Smith's pace had drawn a foul, but Marshall's shot lacked quite enough meat to trouble the keeper.  

It was far from being one way traffic though as City got plenty of chance to practice their new found defensive skills. Both Tucks and Parnell were again in good form, but there was more than a touch of luck as well when the home side saw a high looping cross from Xioyrappa bounce off the City bar.

The second half was largely more of the same, with both sides keen to clear their lines with big clearances. City fans will have been far from bored though, still relishing the novelty of us regularly having players under the hopeful punts from the Bromsgrove defenders. Gavin Rae replaced Jenkins and moved into left-back, and played a full part in keeping the defence as resolute as it was.

City survived one scare when a fantastic cross beat the defence, but the Bromsgrove forward planted his header wide. Medcroft came on for Smith and made a couple of telling contributions as City tried to find a little forward momentum. A Medcroft pass sent Cox through but he stumbled over the ball, a lapse of concentration that summed up a game where he never seemed totally switched on.