Saturday, October 9, 1999

ONE of Worcester City's main problems this season has been their inability to hang on to a lead.

Saturday's 1-1 draw at Weymouth in the Dr Martens League Premier Division was the fifth time this season that City have led a match but failed to win it.

They may argue that Weymouth's equaliser was well off side, but they seemed to lose momentum after that and were lucky to hang on to their point.

It keeps City 20th in the table although they have now lost only once in their last six games, and there are signs that better times are ahead although they are not the finished article yet.

City were forced into an unfamiliar 4-5-1 formation by striker Sam Bowen being ruled out by 'flu and midfielder Ian Cottrill sidelined with a calf injury.

Mark Owen was thus left as a lone central striker, with Carl Heeley being pushed effectively into a three-man central midfield and Jon Purdie and Keith Knight operating on the flanks.

Martin Weir also came in for his debut in central defence, and the combination with fellow newcomer Mark Tucker looks to be a solid one.

Knight said afterwards: "We played well enough in the first half to take all three points. Their goal was well off side but we are more then happy."

"With the formation we played with five across the midfield we looked a lot more solid than we have of late.

"It is something we have lacked since the start of the season although Ian Cottrill has been fighting a lone battle. Carl has come in and done well.

"We got a bit slack near the end - we didn't know whether to stick with 1-1 or go for the jugular and got caught between two stools."

But Knight is encouraged by the way City are developing after their disastrous start to the season. "We are starting to look like a football team rather than a mish-mash of players put together."

City made all the early running against a Weymouth side reeling from the midweek resignation of manager Fred Davies.

They deserved their 29th-minute lead, when John Deakin's left-wing corner was allowed to bounce across the six-yard box and Owen applied the finishing touch with his head at the far post.

Owen and the impressive Heeley also went close for City, and the only time Weymouth threatened was when their caretaker-manager Andy Mason's free-kick was well saved to his right by City 'keeper Darren Steadman.

However, Weymouth equalised in contentious fashion 10 minutes into the second half when striker Peter Knox, who looked well offside, was set free of the Worcester defence and he slotted home with City looking in vain for a flag.

As happened the previous week against Harrow in the FA Cup, City briefly lost their way.

But Steadman was on form to save them, making a great double save to deny substitute Stuart Heath and Mark Robinson while Heath then put the rebound over a gaping goal.

City could have grabbed a winner themselves when Purdie's long-range effort was well saved by Weymouth 'keeper Dan Claxton.

Manager Graham Allner said: "We were a bit unfortunate with the way their goal came about, and in the next 10-15 minutes we lost control a bit although by the end we didn't look as if we were going to concede again.

"We would probably have said a draw was a decent result before we got there, but the way the game went were disappointed not to have seen it through and won the match.

"The good thing was that we looked stronger and more solid and it gives us something on which to build, although I felt maybe we could have done a bit more on them at the other end.

"It is a formation I have used before -- we used it at Northwich in the Trophy last season -- and I thought Mark Owen did very well on his own."

GOALSCORERS: Owen 29 (0-1), Knox 55 (1-1).

STAR PLAYER: Carl Heeley.

CARDS: Worcester; Heeley (foul), Tucker (foul) (both yellow).

ATTENDANCE: 680.

REFEREE: Mr P. Hammick (Romsey).

Worcester: Steadman 7, Carty 6, Sandeman 7, Weir 7, Tucker 7, Heeley 8, Deakin 6, Ellis 5 (Willetts 69, 5), Owen 7, Knight 7, Purdie 6 (Davies 78). Sub not used: Richards.

WEYMOUTH: Claxton, Gammon, Hale, A. Browne, Waldock, S. Browne, Robinson, Hutchinson, Adcock, Knox (Heath 63), Mason (Nicholson 85). Sub not used: Bradford.