Carl Heeley’s search for goals saw former Manchester United and Walsall midfielder, Sean Geddes, whose 56 goals in three seasons propelled Stourbridge to the Northern Premier League playoffs, join the club just hours before kick-off. And it was the debutant who gifted City the lead after he headed home Connor Gater’s cross after 36 minutes.

Both sides finished with ten men after a lunging tackle by Ellis Deeney in the 10th minute was followed by a scything second half challenge by Robert Eagle just five minutes after the restart, with Daniel Nti stooping to head home in the 51st minute from the resulting free kick.

All of the pre-match talk surrounded the signing of Geddes, who could have had his first goal in a City shirt after just three minutes. Mike Symons’s speculative lofted ball wide found the powerful Daniel Nti, whose neat cutback from the by-line to the midfielder was miss-cued wide of the near post.

Despite the promise shown by City in the opening 10 minutes, the evening took a turn for the worse after a two footed lunge by City skipper Ellis Deeney on Lowestoft’s Ross Jarvis was deemed worthy of a red card by the referee, leaving the hosts to play the remaining 79 minutes with 10 men.

The visitors threatened with their first attack of the game after Chris Henderson cut inside from the left and drove a right-footed shot that travelled wide of Nathan Vaughan’s near post.

Despite being down to ten, City continued to look the more threatening side and Daniel Nti came close to scoring a scorcher after his full-blooded half volley from the angle of the area flashed agonisingly over the bar.

The newly-promoted visitors forced Vaughan into action for the first time at the 25 minute-mark after a speculative attempt from distance by Chris Henderson was beaten away by the City stopper, who was quickly up to deny the rebound by Shaun Bammant before Graham Hutchinson hacked the ball clear.

But it was City who took the lead after 36 minutes with Connor Gater’s pinpoint cross finding debutant Sean Geddes who headed home into the top corner to put the hosts in front.

The game sparked into life in the second half as Lowestoft found themselves with 10 men just five minutes after the restart after a lunging Robert Eagle scythed down George Williams and received the same punishment as Ellis Deeney in the first half.

City compiled the misery on the Trawlermen from the resulting Danny Jackman free-kick from the right as Daniel Nti stooped to head home from inside the six yard box to double the hosts lead after 51 minutes.

The controversy and excitement continued in equal measure after Mike Symons was bulldozered on the touchline by what appeared to be the knee of substitute Andrew Fisk, which went unpunished by the officials, before good work from Mike Symons saw the target-man’s cross flash across goal, narrowly evading the lunging Daniel Nti.

Town continued to show the determination that saw them promoted to the Conference North for the first time last season, and came close to halving the deficit in spectacular fashion after Adam Smith’s vicious effort from distance was tipped acrobatically over the crossbar by Vaughan before the hour mark.

There was barely time to draw breath before Danny Jackman’s cross found the burly Symons, who used his body effectively to hold off the challenge of Gaughran before sending a tame, swivelling-shot straight at the goalkeeper.

Town ensured a nervy final few minutes for City after Chris Henderson leapt highest to head Adam Smith’s free kick past Vaughan, but City hung on to ensure they secured all three points.

City boss, Carl Heeley, thought his side deserved the win, and admitted he could understand the referee’s decision to send off Ellis Deeney, “After 15 minutes and your down to 10 men, it looks like it’s going to be an uphill battle for us. They kept the ball ever so well and I thought, even with 10 men, we probably had more possession and still looked the better side”, said Heeley. “In my opinion, it wasn’t two footed and his feet were quite low. But some you get, some you don’t. no complaints to the referee really”, he added.

City host another newly promoted side in Chorley at Aggborough on Saturday (3pm).

Attendance 376