City saved their best performance of the season for the final game as they recorded an emphatic victory over high-flying Worcester with a magnificent display which secured a deserved place in next season’s re-structured Conference set up.

With Tony Battersby unavailable and Luke Hughes injured Carl Williams and Robbie Simpson returned to the team that put six goals past Tiverton last Saturday. Whilst City’s travelling supporters were apprehensive about how the afternoon would unfold the players seemed oblivious to the tension as they settled into their game from the opening whistle.

Robbie Simpson looks to flick the ball on

Looking to get the ball down and play whenever possible the visitors had forced Danny McDonnell into the first of a string of fine saves with only five minutes on the clock. Richard Scott played the ball wide to Craig Pope who fed Danny Bloomfield on the right hand edge of the Worcester area. A good supporting run from Rob Miller allowed him to take a pass in his stride and step across before unleashing a right foot shot which had McDonnell going full length to turn the ball behind his near post.

As Worcester looked to make an impression Adam Wilde was fouled wide on the left and Liam McDonald swung the resultant free kick across the box onto the head Barry Woolley who was narrowly off target at the far post.

In City’s next attack Danny Bloomfield showed good chest control to bring down Lewis Baillie’s through ball before laying a pass wide to Carl Williams whose cross was met by Miller but his header was high of goal.


With the Lilywhites attempting to use the full width of the pitch Baillie played in Robbie Simpson through the inside left channel, the teenage striker hit a low near post cross which McDonnell spilled at the feet of Bloomfield. City’s top scorer forced the ball across the six yard box but Worcester had enough cover to crowd out Miller as he attempted to bundle home from close range.

The game was held up for some time just after the twenty minute mark. As John Snape rose in attempt to get his head on a right wing centre he was foiled by Matt Langston but the two clashed heads. The former Hereford midfielder had to leave the field to have a head would patched up whilst a dazed looking Langston returned gingerly too his feet after extensive treatment.

Adam Wilde was in no mood to do his former team any favours, Lee Chaffey was only able to get a partial clearance on the winger’s 24th minute corner and as a result Mark Owen’s attempted lob from an acute angle on the left of the area landed on the roof of the net. Making light of the heavy conditions Wilde then skipped past Craig Pope but his fierce cross shot was held by Martin Davies.

From another Wilde corner just after the half hour Leon Kelly got the better of Matt Langston in the air and the ball fell invitingly for Carl Heeley but the central defender blazed over from close range when he should have done better.

Rob Miller comes under pressure from Worcester's Liam McDonald

An obviously struggling Matt Langston was then forced to withdraw from the action which appeared to be a massive blow for the visitors as the skipper had been in commanding form up until that point winning just about everything in the air and making a series of timely interceptions. Lee Summerscales replaced him, slotting in at left back with Lee Chaffey moving across to partner Lee Pluck in the centre.

More good work by Wilde, far and away the home side’s best player of the half, saw him collect a knock down from McDonnell’s goal kick a run purposefully towards goal before seeing his low shot deflected wide of Martin Davies’ goal.

Richard Scott who had been relatively subdued in midfield did well to beat Liam McDonald wide on the Worcester left before whipping in a low cross which McDonnell did well to cling onto with Bloomfield closing in.

With City ending the half on top Robbie Simpson played a through ball over the Worcester back line which Danny Bloomfield ran on to, beating the offside trap. He appeared to be going nowhere but turned John Holloway inside out before arrowing a drive towards the bottom corner of the net only to see McDonnell make a magnificent save, finger tipping the ball around the post at full stretch. Worcester failed to organise themselves properly at the resultant corner allowing Miller to play the ball short to Scott who had space to send in a stinging drive before McDonnell got down again, this time to his right to palm the ball away from danger.

As Worcester broke back Wilde was denied by Rob Miller’s sliding tackle but found Darren Middleton from the resultant corner, the former Stafford midfielder fired over from a decent position however.

In added time City scorned another presentable chance to snatch the lead. Miller got the wrong side of McDonald a rolled a pass inside to Simpson on the edge of the box, he in turn teed up Williams but the former Hitchin player made a poor contact and lofted his curling shot over the bar.

Worcester, obviously charged-up by John Barton’s half-time team talk, attacked City from the off. Kelly got the better of Chaffey in the air but Lee Summerscales tidied up at the expense of a corner. Wilde played in a near post ball and Simpson, back defending, had to be alert to get in front of John Holloway and block.

Lewis Baillie celebrates his goal along with Rob Miller

In a nervous few moments for the Lilywhites Mark Owen got behind Summersclaes in City’s left back position but the striker’s first touch was poor allowing Martin Davies to clear. Summerscales then conceded a free kick for a foul on the same player in a similar position and from Wilde’s delivery Woolley headed wide at the far post.

As City countered Snape was booked for a trip on Baillie in the inside left position. From a similar range to his goal against Tiverton last week Richard Scott tried his luck with a shot but McDonnell was equal to the task and saved low to his right.

More good work by the influential Baillie then saw him put Bloomfield in the clear with a well directed headed pass but as the former Bournemouth striker homed in on goal McDonnell stood up well and made an excellent stop parrying the ball away from above his head.

On the hour mark Wilde knocked the ball past Pope who stuck out a leg tripping the winger in full flight, a challenge which earned the City full back a card. Wilde, inevitably, took the free kick which saw Heeley’s well directed header deflected behind by Baillie with Davies wrong footed.

With the heavy surface beginning to take its toll gaps were starting to appear. Richard Scott’s perfectly weighted through ball caught the Worcester back line square but the advancing Bloomfield was again foiled by McDonnell making a fine block when one-on-one.

As the game entered its’ final quarter Gary Roberts opted to bring fresh legs into his midfield with Rob Nightingale replacing Carl Williams.

Adam Wilde continued to single-handedly take the fight to City and as good work by McDonald played him in on the left hand edge of the box he chipped the advancing Martin Davies, Lee Summerscales successfully shepherded the ball behind for a corner but only after a heart-stopping moment when he appeared (from the stands) to have put through his own goal.

Summerscales was having a sound game at left back, becoming increasingly assured with his distribution he played a raking ball into the path of Simpson who took the pass in his stride to fire early across McDonnell who made yet another fine stop beating the ball away, fortunately for the home side no City’s players were on hand to apply the finishing touch.

Robbie Simpson looks to set up an attack

As Wilde threatened again he was hauled down by Baillie at the expense of a yellow card. John Barton choosing the same moment to replace Jai Stanley with Adam Webster. As the game entered the final ten minutes Gary Roberts made his last change, loanee striker Lloyd Blackman replacing Robbie Simpson.

Within two minutes of the change City had got the vital breakthrough. Yet more good work by Baillie sent Bloomfield scampering through the inside right channel and he was only thwarted by Heeley at the expense of a corner. Richard Scott’s near post delivery was dispatched into the back of the net by Baillie whose perfectly timed run culminated in a crashing close range header to send City’s sizeable travelling contingent behind the goal into wild celebration.

Given a physical lift by the goal City powered on in energy sapping conditions to score a second goal four minutes later. Baillie picked the ball up from deep and went on a surging run, slicing through Worcester’s weary midfield. Having carried the ball to the edge of the area he played a crisp pass into Blackman whose fierce drive was beaten away by McDonnell but this time Bloomfield was on hand to crash the ball home. In a campaign that has relied so heavily on his goals it was fitting that he should round off the season’s scoring. The City fans knew it was game over and the celebrations started. To be fair to Worcester they kept coming forward and Kelly sent a last minute drive dipping over the bar after good work by Owen but Mr Graves final whistle marked the end of a gruelling but highly satisfying campaign for the Milton Road club.

The Lilywhites showed true professionalism to achieve this result. They applied themselves to the task from the first whistle to the last, never stopped running, never shirked a tackle and used the ball effectively when in possession and whilst McDonnell performed heroics at one end, Martin Davies was barely tested at the other. Although all 14 players involved deserve full praise for their contribution a special mention has to go to Lewis Baillie who had an immense game in midfield, breaking up Worcester possession and starting City’s forward momentum on numerous occasions. His energy in setting up the second goal with a lung-bursting 88th minute run saying everything about the team City have become under Gary Roberts’ management.