City watched their FA Cup dream sail away for yet another season last night. The road to Cardiff has been closed to City following a deserved defeat by mediocre Havant and Waterlooville. The first half started brightly as you would expect from two teams competing for a place in the first round of the country's premier knockout competition. After only 16 minutes however, the tell-tale signs of a leaky City defence, that would persist all evening, resulted in the first goal of the game. With no telling challenges in and around the penalty box, Havant moved the ball towards the City goalmouth with relative ease. Gannaway in goal, could only parry the initial shot into the path of the incoming James Taylor for him to head Havant into the lead in front of a disappointed T-end. 

City though, kept their heads up with a few brief periods of good possession. Cox and Rawlins ran at the defence on a number of occasions and tested them. It was indeed Cox that put City on level terms midway through the first half, shooting from a difficult angle from the right hand side. 

This was probably City's best period. With about 5 minutes remaining of the first half City earned a penalty. Although referee Woodward saw fit not to brandish a red card for the foul in the box, Kacey Johnstone placed the spot kick in the roof of the net. This left City feeling optimistic for the second half with their 2-1 lead.

Within seconds of the restart City were stunned with an overhead shot from Paul Wood that put the visitors level. From here on in, City were all at sea. As the frustration grew on the terrace, so the passing, control and tackling of City deteriorated. Gannaway found it difficult to keep the ball on the park from some of his goal kicks, let alone find any of the City outfield players. The substitutes John Meadows (for Johnstone) and Paul Chenoweth (for Jenkins) did little to add any wind to City's sails.

With just over 15 minutes remaining on the clock, the City defence were caught napping as they carelessly knocked the ball around in their own half. James Taylor punished the naivety, getting his second of the evening.

City had the opportunity to bail out some water late into the game when they were awarded another penalty, this time for a handball in front of the weary T-end. Steadman was keen to pick up the ball to get on with the spot kick. Unfortunately, his less than brilliant kick was saved by the Havant goalie, who correctly dived low to his right to block the ball with his unusually shiny gloves. The referee saw fit not to give the offending Havant player his marching orders for this infringement either. City were sunk.

It was a poor second half performance for City, who were out-played by a team who had to do little on the night to achieve their win. City also managed to pick up four yellow cards (Johnstone, Steadman, Chenoweth and Tucker) in this game of little heat. Havant meet Southport at home in the first round proper on the 18th November.

Ref      I Woodward (Beckenham)
Ass    D Cooke ( Wednesbury)
M Winstone (Wednesbury)