A POINT from Saturday's soggy scrap would have been a bonus for Paul West's side.

And, they deserved at least that as they gave the new table toppers a huge scare in a game played in horrendous conditions.

A game of few chances saw City take one of their three opportunities, while Leon Blake fired wide for the visitors after racing clear four minutes before half-time.

Had the skipper netted then United would surely have returned home with deserved reward from another afternoon of honest ende-avour.

Heavy rain an hour before the start that continued for the entire 90 minutes had the groundstaff forking the pitch before the match.

The groundsman must have wished he hadn't turned on the sprinklers the previous day and, on the morning of the match, as the green surface rapidly turned into a sea of mud!

Leon Blake saw Kevin Sawyer clutch his fourth minute volley before Shane Benjamin's strength gave him a sight of goal three minutes later but the striker's left-foot drive flew a foot past the angle of post and crossbar.

Paul Sales drifted between two defenders at the other end in the 11th minute but his volley was comfortably held by Nathan Vaughan.

The deciding goal came after 28 minutes and left Adam Blake a disconsolate figure at the finish.

The young utility man, who had stepped into the injured Stephen Luckett's boots, was caught out by a long ball and Rene Regis dro-ve his shot past Vaughan off the inside of the keeper's right-hand upright.

Blake's miss at the opposite end was just as crucial in the final count after a second half that saw the Robins territorially ahead but rarely looking like levelling matters.

Four substitutions used the most ink after the interval with newcomer Dean Curtis being given a chance to shine in the final 12 minutes as West added extra ammunition to his tiring front line.

Rob Taylor was always a threat down the left but a failure to get in crosses ruined some skilful charges.

Richard Ball, starved of any decent service, was also guilty of wasting a couple of crossing opp-ortunities, while two wasted free-kicks in the final five minutes added to the frustration of the visiting contingent.