GLOUCESTER CITY 1 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 2

GLOUCESTER City's inability to run the distance proved costly again as former Forest Green Rovers boss Jim Harvey claimed his first victory as Stalybridge Celtic manager.

Leading 1-0 through Lee Smith's 14th goal of the season on Saturday, City looked on course to claim all three points in the Blue Square North fixture.

But another lapse of concentration and a heart-breaking 95th-minute penalty gave the Mancunians the points and make it a happy return to Gloucestershire for Harvey.

City manager Dave Mehew made five changes to the side that went down 3-1 at Fleetwood last weekend ahead of a crucial double-header against Harrogate.

Three of the changes came in the back four with Rob Aldrich starting in place of Neil Mustoe at right-back.

New signing Greg Lake came in for his first start at left-back, with Jack Harris moving into midfield and fit-again Tom Hamblin replacing Lee Molyneaux.

After a slow start, the game developed into a highly-competitive affair with Stalybridge playing in a typical Harvey style with Jody Banin impressing in a withdrawn striker's role.

However, for all their possession the visitors failed to test Tigers goalkeeper Mike Green other than from a long-range drive from Andy Smart after five minutes.

Not that City were much better, as an increasingly competitive game was marked by more piercing shrills of referee Neil Radford's whistle than pieces of quality from either side.

Will Morford was unlucky that the pitch played a part in him firing a shot over when well-placed in the 10th minute and Smith deserved better than to see his dipping volley from 30 yards go over with Dave Carnell in the Celtic goal a mere spectator.

It was going to take a moment of quality to break the deadlock and that duly arrived in the fourth minute of the second half.

While Smith's name will appear on the scoresheet, it was a goal that owed everything to the quality of loan-striker Ben Hunt.

Picking the ball up on the halfway line, Hunt drove at the Celtic defence and into the penalty area where a poor challenge from another Rovers man, defender John Hardiker, gave away a penalty from which Smith made no mistake.

In control and on-course for a much-needed win, City paid the price for a piece of poor concentration after a late substitution.

The sleeping Tigers defence allowed Joe O'Neil to run unchecked into the penalty area and he diverted Warren Peyton's through-ball past Green and into the corner of the net.

Worse was to follow in injury time as Lake lunged in late on O'Neil to concede a penalty and.

Peyton sent Green the wrong way from the spot to leave Gloucester cursing their luck and scratching their heads about what went wrong.

Gloucester City: M Green, R Aldrich (N Mustoe 52), M Richards, G Lake; L Smith, J Palmer, T Webb, J Harris (J Pitcher 49); W Morford (M Symons 70), B Hunt. Subs not used: L Molyneaux, M Rose.

Stalybridge Celtic: D Carnell; R Battersby, S Woods, J Hardiker, G Law; D Hankin (B Keeling 77) , W Peyton, M Carr, A Smart (C Jennings 46); J Banin (C Hobson 68), J O'Neil. Subs not used: B Keeling, G Wilkinson, O Abadaki.

Referee: N Radford (Worcester)

Attendance: 332

Star man: James Palmer