If ever a game of football cried out for a goal it was this drab and disappointing affair at New Lodge on a wet and cold Monday night braved by 321 spectators who deserved much better fayre.

Even playing against 10 men for almost the entire second half City failed to raise their game and but for an offside decision five minutes after half-time, plus a goal line clearance from John Girling, the visitors could have caused the embarrassment of the season by walking away with all three points.

City, particularly in the second half, dominated the game but were fairly clueless when it came to trying to score while the nearest they came was a spirited Shane Wardley run and shot charged down plus a late shot from Ian Cambridge.

It was a game that had a draw written all over it from the start, although City should have done better against such inferior opposition, particularly after Tommy Taylor was dismissed in the 57th minute for a second bookable offence when he scythed down Neil Coburn.

But for all their patient build-up from the back City had nothing to show in the final third of the pitch and with such an out-of-form attack it was little surprising.

City had played slightly better in the first half and Cambridge managed to rattle the Fleet upright with a fierce shot on 31 minutes, but even then they never really looked all that dangerous in front of goal.

Referee Tincknell's performance also hardly enhanced the game's reputation either, having initially ignored one or two crude early Fleet tackles on City players before he finally managed to take out his notebook, for the first of four of their players, in the 25th minute.

Fleet goalkeeper Geoff Sim was the second of those in the 28th minute for bringing down Tesfaye Bramble, en route for goal and outside the area, and the visiting custodian should feel fortunate that he was not given a red card for his wayward efforts.

But poor refereeing apart, City still can make no excuses for an overall poor showing, particularly in front of goal, other than their own performances, both individually and collectively. Even late Cambridge and Bramble efforts failed.

They will need to show a vast improvement tonight when they take on neighbours Dartford at New Lodge, or they will face a repeat of last year's home drubbing by the men of Kent.

Chelmsford City : Catley; B Girling, Wardley, Reeve, J Girling; Greatorex, Sutton, Coburn, Berquez; Cambridge and Bramble. Unused substitutes: Dobinson, Strong and Yamazaki.

Shane Wardley, who performed well at Tonbridge on Saturday and against Fleet Town on Monday.

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