Friday, December 26, 2003

LEON Kelly's predatory instincts spared Worcester City a dose of Boxing Day blues at Moor Green.

The striker's 75th minute goal came out of nothing but was enough to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw that leaves John Barton's side undefeated in their last three Dr Martens Premier Division league games.

City however were far from convincing and even allowing for the fact they played the first half into a stiff breeze looked lack-lustre and below par.

The Moors in contrast looked the sharper of the two sides, enjoying the upper hand for most of the match though City came close to nicking all three points with a late flurry.

If stand-in keeper Chris Taylor, replacing the suspended Danny McDonnell, was hoping for a relatively quiet afternoon's work he was quickly dispelled of that notion as City found themselves on the back foot from the off.

Taylor was called into action on several occasions, reacting sharply to thwart Daire Doyle and Rob Elmes though perhaps the best chance of the first half fell to Barry Woolley on a rare City attack but he blazed over.

Peter Faulds fired the Moors ahead five minutes into the second half and set up Neil Davis for a second four minutes later but the striker somehow miscued from 10 yards.

Nevertheless a third defeat in the last four visits to the Moorlands was beckoning for City for until Kelly conjured up a breakaway goal, sparked by John Snape's endeavour.

The goal, clincially dispatched past the advancing Adam Rachel, rallied the visitors and City came close to grabbing a late winner when first Mark Owen glanced a header over before Darren Middleton's corner caused confusion in which a post was struck.

Ultimately though a point was about as much as City deserved as Adam Webster conceded.

"We were fortunate to get a point," he said. "We just didn't get out of blocks."

"We had a good atmosphere in the changing room before the match, we had a good warm up, we looked fresh and positive after three wins on the trot but they started better.

"They closed us down, we had a few missed passes, heads went down and then they scored. But we picked up, scored and looked better towards the end and could have snatched it late on."

Webster conceded City's enforced absence of 18 days may have had a bearing but refused to use it in mitigation for the performance: "There's no excuses. Whether it's 18 days or eight hours you've got to go out and do the performance on the pitch, it's as simple as that."

WORCESTER: Taylor 6, Davies 6, CARTY 7, Woolley 6, Heeley 6, Snape 6, Lyons 5, Webster 6, Owen 5, Kelly 6, Wilde 3 (Middleton 72). Subs not used: Holloway, Parker, McDonald, Hayes. Attendance 643.