City should have romped home far more convincingly against poor opposition in this Bank Holiday Monday game at New Lodge, but a hatful of missed chances meant that an opportunist goal by the ever alert Steve Morris on the hour proved to be the winner.

It was frustrating too for the 475 watching fans in the pouring rain who saw City play some attractive football in difficult conditions, but waste chance after chance.

Without exaggeration, City should have been five or six goals up by the interval with the main culprits being Ben Fuller, Ollie Berquez and Morris, plus some plucky saves by Erith goalkeeper Dean Lee.

City, who saw the impressive return of Grant Strong in midfield in the absence of Mark Kane, temporarily recalled to Dagenham & Redbridge, were always in control yet failed to stamp their authority on the game in terms of goals.

At the back City were never really in trouble which was rather fortunate because goalkeeper Paul Catley suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury shortly before half time but stayed on and was rarely troubled.

The second half started in much the same vein as the first with City all on the attack and Morris should have broken the deadlock in the 55th minute but his shot cannoned off Lee's legs to safety, which just about summed up much of City's fortunes on the day.

It was not until two minutes later that Erith won their first corner of the game and although this was cleared they did force the ball into the City net in the 59th minute but the effort was ruled offside.

On the hour, City scored thanks to a fine build-up down the left wing involving Shane Wardley and Berquez.

It was Wardley's final l cross into the area that caused all the problems and goal poacher Morris was on hand to stab the ball home from six yards.

There so much all-round relief at a goal finally being scored that City then sat back and allowed the Kent side to have all the play for a few minutes.

The penny finally dropped and in the final 15 minutes City swarmed all over the Erith area but again several chances went begging, notably from Fuller (twice), Morris, Berquez and Kevin Dobinson.

City certainly played all the football, created all the chances and should have won far more comfortably.

But at least one goal proved to be sufficient and a vital three points were collected.

Chelmsford City: Catley; B Girling, Wardley, Reeve, Bishop; Strong, Bailey, Dobinson, Berquez; Fuller, and Morris. Unused substitutes: Crane, J Girling, and Shirley.

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