CITY revealed spadefuls of fighting spirit to secure a point at Tiverton Town on Saturday.

Under the cosh in conditions more suitable to hippos than footballers, they clawed their way back into the match and came close to nicking all three points.

Definitely not one for the purists but the manner of the fightback displayed an appetite to scrap with the best of them.

In the thick of it was record signing Jai Stanley, who despite being bought for his ball skills, showed a willingness to get his hands dirty and battle for the cause.

"The chances are that 70 per cent of matches won't be played on great pitches so you've got to knuckle down and get something from the game," said Stanley.

Mind you, following a month out of action after undergoing cartilage surgery, it was not the easiest game in which to return to the fray as Stanley admitted but he came through it unscathed.

"It was fine to be honest and the knee feels better than it did before," he said.

"From a psychological point of view it was good just to get through it and to avoid any knocks.

"The conditions in the first half were really difficult and it just showed how bad they were because we couldn't get out of our half.

"Second half it was easier but we were still a goal down but we came back and could have edged it because we hit the post and had one cleared off the line."

After a well-earned rest, Stanley has focused his attentions on Saturday's visit of the Dr Martens Premier Division's bottom club Chelmsford City.

Bath City's late equaliser in midweek has made it a must win game, according to Stanley.

"As far as I'm concerned it's got to be three points on Saturday," he said.

"If we had won of the two games against Bath or Tiverton it might be a bit different, although a win would still be important, but it's even more so after drawing them both."

Self-belief is clearly high within the St George's Lane camp and manager John Barton is reaping the rewards with greater consistency.

Perhaps the turning point came at Dover when a backs against the wall City, making light of sickness and injury, threw everything into the game. A disputed winner dashed their efforts but, give or take the odd blip since, they've built on that commitment to impressive effect.

Five league games unbeaten is no small feat in the Dr Martens Premier Division these days and with Weymouth slipping up at Cambridge on Saturday perhaps the destination of the title is not quite as cut and dried as it appeared a few weeks ago.