Saturday, August 23, 2003

WORCESTER City made it two away wins on the trot but made heavy weather of despatching a very ordinary looking Welling side 1-0.

Darren Middleton's first goal of the season proved decisive but John Barton's team were once again indebted to some vital saves from Danny McDonnell to stop Welling earning a point.

After the match Barton conceded an improved display would be needed to beat Moor Green in tonight's clash at St George's Lane.

Worcester began with great poise and purpose, typified by an electric burst from Middleton in the 10th minute.

Bisecting the 'Wings' midfield with a 40-yard run he created a superb opening for Mark Owen whose lob from just inside the area beat the advancing goalkeeper Glen Knight but just cleared the bar.

With City finding space galore inside the Welling half, proceedings should have been comfortably wrapped up inside the first 45 minutes but a combination of near misses and poor finishing let Paul Parker's side off the hook.

Ironically the best chance early on fell to the home side in the 13th minute when Paul Booth pounced on a poor back header from Barry Woolley forcing McDonnell to save bravely at his feet.

Shrugging off that early warning City continued to press, and finally made the breakthrough in the 22nd minute, though it was more by luck than design.

Leon Kelly fumbled an opportunity on the break but Middleton's persistence in chasing down the stray ball reaped dividends when the hapless Knight's clearance struck the midfielder and rebounded to leave him with an easy tap-in.

Boosted by the goal City moved quickly to kill off the game but despite sustained periods in the Welling area failed to add a second.

Woolley, attempting to make amends for his slip, nearly did so with a flashing header just wide from an Adam Wilde corner in the 25th minute, while Wilde himself twice went close. Firstly with a 33rd minute cross-shot tipped round the post and then two minutes later after intercepting a back pass only to be blocked by Knight.

More good work by Middleton released Owen on 40 minutes but his ambitious left-foot curler was wide and the sense that it wasn't going to be such a walkover gnawed away.

Proof of that came just prior to the break when Woolley was too easily turned by Booth only to be again denied by McDonnell.

That became a recurring theme in the second half with City's keeper denying Booth on three occasions. McDonnell was having the busier time of the two keepers with Welling pumping a series of long balls in a bid to shake the City defence.

It was simple but effective and Dan Jones who again endured a torrid time in the air at left-back had to come good with a last-gasp headed clearance with substitute Phil Collins lurking menacingly at the back post.

The youngster was also on hand to scoop clear from inside his six-yard box after a rare McDonnell mistake under pressure two minutes from time as Worcester survived a jittery conclusion to the match.

Afterwards Barton's end of match report went along the lines of can do better but with much stiffer opposition to come it's probably a case of 'must do better'.

Goalscorer: Middleton 22 (0-1).

Welling: Knight, Burgess, Farley (Henry 80), O'Shea, Watts, Fowler (Riviere 50), Slatter, Hambley, Powell (Collins 68), Booth, Berkley.

Worcester: HMcDonnell 9, Davies 6, Jones 5, Holloway 6, Woolley 6, Snape 6, Middleton 7, Webster 6, Owen 6 (Hadley 82), Kelly 5 (Foy 77), Wilde 6. Subs not used: Parker, McDonald, Hayes. Referee. Mr S Chittenden (London).

Att: 485. Cards: Welling: Hambley (clash with Snape), Berkley (dissent). Worcester; Jones (foul), Snape (foul).