Wasteful City pay the price

Manager David Batch shuffled his pack following the loss to Hastings. Scott Houghton came in on the left wing with Adam Wilde pairing up with Collins in attack. Rob Nightingale formed the centre midfield with Che Wilson, Adie Hayes again finding himself on the bench

In a very positive opening City created two good chances in the opening minutes. Darren Collins tested Danny McDonnell in the home goal with a well struck low shot before two minutes later Adam Wilde should have given City the lead. Tim Wooding's free-kick was not cleared, Collins headed back across goal to Wilde unmarked six yards out, he looked odds on to score but snatched at his shot and pulled his effort a foot wide of the post. It was to prove a costly miss as soon after Worcester went in front. There looked little danger as David Holmes cut in from the left and hit a weak shot goalwards but what should have been a simple clearance turned into the first goal of the afternoon as the ball ricocheted off the inside of Wooding's leg straight to Darren Middleton who gobbled up the gift with a low finish into the corner.

Minutes later City should have restored the status quo. Another Wooding free-kick caught out the Worcester defence, his flighted cross dropping to the far post where Colin Vowden had lost his marker. As with Wilde's chance earlier, scoring seemed a formality but somehow the defender managed to lift his effort over the goal with McDonnell a relieved spectator.

Despite going behind, City looked by far the most threatening of the two sides, Worcester relied on too many long balls to the bustling figure of Mark Owen that rarely found their mark and City coped comfortably as their hosts failed to create anything of note to worry Martin Davies in the City goal.

Wilde was again the culprit when he wasted another good chance on twenty minutes. Wooding was again the instigator with a searching ball forward. John Holloway placed his header straight to the feet of Wilde who lifted his effort from twelve yards just over angle of post and crossbar. As the half drew to a close Worcester did finally mount an attack that caused hearts to flutter in the City backline. Full-back Alan Davies did well to get a cross in from near the corner flag, Adam Webster flicked on and Owen just failed to make contact from point-blank range due to the close attentions of Wooding. Maybe Adam Wilde must have been getting the feeling it was not to be his day as another chance went begging as the clock reached forty five minutes. He was presented with the ball on the edge of the area when John Snape miscontrolled, but again failed to get a shot on target as his drive flew wide of the upright.

The second half continued in a similar vein to the first with both sides enjoying a fair share of the ball but with City doing the most with it.

However, Davies did have to be on his toes to smother a Webster shot in the opening minutes but had little else to do. At the other end, City picked up where they had left off. McDonnell was called into action after only seven minutes to turn Wilde's shot from a tight angle away for a corner and Wooding placed a free-kick just over the bar after Snape had fouled Collins.

Four minutes on, Adie Hayes - on as a replacement for the ineffective Matt Clements - floated a lovely cross to the far post where Vowden powered a header against the bar, Collins only just failed to turn home the rebound but it was probably just as well as the "goal" would have been chalked off as the linesman flagged for offside despite the fact that Vowden had clearly started his run from deep.

City's luck was again out five minutes later. Holloway was penalised for handball, Houghton took the free-kick quickly causing McDonnell to stumble in the home goal, ending up on his backside but fortunately for him the ball bounced off the turf and straight into the prone 'keeper's hands.

Worcester responded with their first meaningful attack since the opening minute of the half when Davies was forced to beat away Pat Lyons shot. Owen glanced a header six feet wide of the far post soon after as Worcester attempted to stem the blue tide that was continually coming towards them.

If proof was needed that this was not to be City's day, it came in the 79th minute.