Canterbury City manager Dave Fairclough left club captain Luke Lockhart (pictured) on the bench as they ended a run of four consecutive defeats with a 2-1 win at Coney Hall in the Vandanel Kent County League Premier Division.

Regular right-back Sam Baker played at centre back and the the tactic paid-off with City’s best and defensively most secure performance of the season.

Adam Woollcott thought he had put City ahead after 15 minutes when he looped the ball over the goalkeeper but a debatable offside decision denied him.

City continued to attack strongly as well as defend solidly against Coney Hall’s dangerous counter-attacks and they had to wait until the 38th minute before a fine attacking move finished with Royston Gough hitting the foot of the post and Liam Whiting following up to put them ahead.

Coney Hall should have equalised just before half-time when they screwed the ball across the face of an open goal but they compensated after 54 minutes when a shot came back out from the City defence and was smacked over the line by John Fowler.

When Karl Williams replaced the injured Woollcott, City’s attack was boosted by even more pace and it was the impressive Gough who chased down a shrewd long pass from Whiting to skip round the keeper and tap in the winner. Over the final 15 minutes City had several more chances but some excellent goalkeeping denied them.

City visit Bromley Green on Saturday in the Kent Intermediate Charity Shield (kick-off 2.45pm)