Tamworth 0 City 2

England were victorious in the football, rugby and cricket, and City won their second game of the season.

As Steve McClaren's men were kicking off against Israel, Andy Preece's City side were celebrating a 2-0 success at Tamworth.

Adam Webster set them on their way in the first-half before Craig Wilding eased the nerves in the 93rd-minute. It was also the team's third game without defeat and their first clean sheet of the campaign.

Chris Smith's surprise inclusion, after reports from the club had ruled him out on Friday, and Rapinder Gill's return went some way to ensuring that achievement.

But Danny McDonnell was also in commanding form and produced a superb flying save to tip Gareth Sheldon's strike on to the post in the second-half.

Despite having the likes of Des Lyttle and former Leicester man Gerry Taggart in their defence, Tamworth looked anything but pre-season play-off favourites.

Such was the discontent around The Lamb that the announcement of Carl Heggs as the sponsors' man-of-the-match was met with a chorus of boos.

But Gary Mills' side did start brighter and it needed Ryan Clarke, playing at right wing-back, to hack Heggs' cross off the line early on.

Sheldon was then thwarted by a well-timed Smith tackle after the former Kidderminster player had been let in by Gill's mistake.

City, who forced a succession of corners, began to get a foothold in the game and forged the first real chance on goal after 26 minutes.

Convinced he was offside on the edge of the area, Webster virtually stopped playing but the assistant's flag stayed down and the City striker unleashed a shot straight at keeper Ashley Timms.

But, with 38 minutes gone, Webster made amends by taking advantage of a defensive blunder to give Preece's men the lead.

Taggart inexplicably gave the ball away 25 yards from goal, allowing Webster to hold off the efforts of covering defenders to slide the ball under Timms from 12 yards.

Wilding later blazed over from a similar distance before City's injury curse struck again.

Gill went over on his ankle as he tangled with Dominic Langdon on the edge of McDonnell's area seconds before the half-time whistle and, following treatment, both were replaced at the break.

Tamworth had appeals for a penalty turned down five minutes into the second period after Heggs' strike appeared to hit a City hand.

Six minutes later and McDonnell was at full stretch to get the slightest of touches to Sheldon's goal-bound strike and flick it against the far upright.

The hosts continued to press and Tony Thorpe, on for Jake Sheridan, blasted over the bar from 12 yards.

City were under the cosh but were dangerous on the break, a threat made more potent with the introduction of Mark Danks.

Danks, replacing George Clegg, fired wide from a tight angle on 76 minutes and Timms blocked Wilding's effort with his legs.

But as Tamworth threw more men forward, City made the most of the space left behind. Wilding charged down Timms' attempted clearance 30 yards out and beat the goalkeeper to the ball before rolling it into the empty net.