Every so often there is a match that leaves fans scratching their heads wondering how it was that the game they saw produced the result it did. On a day which gave everything in terms of weather conditions, this defeat for City was one such match, as Paul Tisdale's men had the majority of the play yet came away suffering from a hiding which could have been a lot worse.

Behind the goal City's fans were present in large numbers and in good voice, joined by the suspended Jon Challinor and non-selected Dean Moxey, who earned a large cheer for enthusiastically rising to their feet during an airing of "Stand up if you hate Argyle". On the pitch, meanwhile, City welcomed back Lee Elam from suspension, while Adam Stansfield and Richard Logan were paired together up front, with Jamie Mackie dropping to the bench. The full line-up therefore was Paul Jones in goal, a back four of Billy Jones, Tully, Edwards and Todd, a midfield four of Elam, Carlisle, Buckle and Gill, with Stansfield and Logan up front. On the bench were Rice, Richardson, Cozic, Mackie and Phillips.

After soaking up some early pressure, City settled down and began to show why their form has been so good of late with some neat passing and interplay. An early goal looked inevitable as both sides were enterprising, but it was the home side who scored it, with it ending nearly 8 hours of Football without Paul Jones being beaten. New signing Williams floated in a superb corner, and Simeon Jackson was left completely unmarked to nod home from close range.

This conspired to kill the atmosphere from the away end, but City sought to get back into the game, forcing a couple of corners and still looking very bright. However, City were floored by a real sucker punch on 20 minutes. A 50/50 ball was adjudged to have gone behind via a City boot. The corner was delightfully flighted to the far post. Rob Edwards should have been favourite to clear, but he slipped at the vital moment, allowing Albrighton a clear header which he looped back across goal and in off the post.

If the first goal failed to knock the stuffing out of City, the second did, temporarily at least. It took a while for City to get going again, but eventually they did, continuing to put together some fine moves if not looking especially threatening. It looked like one of those days where little deflections went just behind the City players, or when in a good position the ball would just not settle - to be fair to the Rushden & Diamonds defenders they were very quick to close down, not giving City any time on the ball.

At the other end the home side enjoyed only rare forays into the City half, but it seemed each time they did cross the halfway line they looked like scoring, and before half time Paul Jones had to pull off three stunning saves.

The second half saw City emerge once more with attacking intent, before Curtis Woodhouse, once more deciding to be a Footballer rather than a Boxer, delivered (sorry!) the knockout blow with a wonderful strike from distance. This made the last 40 minutes or so almost academic, although City continued to huff and puff, Stansfield and Edwards forcing excellent saves from Tynan in the Diamonds' goal. Late on sub Jamie Mackie nearly scored a wonderstrike, waltzing through the defence before hammering a shot just over the bar.

The final whistle drew as much wonderment as anything. City had the majority of the play - indeed it was very one-sided at times, yet failed to create many chances, while the home side were under the cosh throughout yet could have won 6-0 but for the heroics of Paul Jones in a 10-minute spell in the first half. The forward pairing of Logan and Stansfield looked toothless, with Challinor badly missed, but the performance in general wasn't worth getting too disheartened about. Tisdale's men have a chance to put things right on Tuesday against surprise strugglers Grays, perhaps the best way to get over a bad day at the office is with another match in quick succession.