Saturday, February 14, 2004

MARK Owen underlined his value to Worcester City with a trademark winner on Saturday.

His predatory instincts killed off stubborn resistance from Chelmsford City and extended their unbeaten run to six.

It wasn't a classic display by City but for 76 minutes the Clarets had mocked their status as the Dr Martens Premier Division's bottom club.

Their gutsy effort on balance of chances could well have netted them a point and indeed until Gareth Street's 70th minute dismissal for a second yellow card, the visitors looked set to hold out at St George's Lane.

But Owen's knack of being in the right place at the right time has served City well down the years and did so once again. Pouncing on a parried shot by Pat Lyons following an Adam Wilde cross, Owen swiveled and scooped home from close range.

It bagged the striker goal number 11 for the season but more significantly after back-to-back draws, it handed John Barton's team three vital points to maintain their momentum in the league.

City defender Jon Holloway, however, conceded it was a tough workout.

"Chelmsford worked hard throughout their side, were really up for it and it just showed there's nothing between the sides in our league and we could have been turned over today," he said. "But I think we deserved it overall. They had a couple of chances but we created the better ones and we were on top and played some good stuff at times.

"It wasn't a resounding performance but we kept going and didn't get sloppy or frustrated. I felt the goal was going to come. The sending off might have turned the game but in the second half it felt more comfortable."

The Clarets packed five across midfield to stifle their hosts but fussy refereeing hampered the flow of the match too, infuriating players and supporters alike.

If anything the visitors sniffed out the better openings early on though it wasn't until the 30th minute that Danny McDonnell made the first serious save of note when he acrobatically denied Neil Gough.

Worcester flitted in and out with pockets of neat football but on a bumpy surface had most joy out wide with Wilde delivering a couple of teasing crosses.

Full-blooded midfield skirmishes revealed the Clarets to be of a particularly full-blood variety. Wilde limped off with a gashed leg after coming off worst in a challenge with Ian Wiles. However it wasn't until the 29th minute that referee Kevin Hawkes saw fit to pull out his book, carding Street for bundling over the lively Pat Lyons.

City meanwhile prodded and probed but when Paul Carty did tee up Owen on 34 minutes, his shot lacked conviction and was comfortably saved by Paul Nicholls.

Chelmsford's keeper was however forced to scramble to keep out an Adam Wilde shot from the edge of the box three minutes later.

Leon Kelly's pace and strength sent shivers of panic across the visitors' defence and he set pulses racing when he rolled a shot agonisingly across the goalmouth from a virtually impossible angle.

Fabian Forde closed a good half for the visitors by creating a great opening for Liam Hopkins who blazed hopelessly wide.

The second half could have been even better for Forde but, after catching City's defence on the hop, Danny McDonnell's brilliant reactions denied him when clean through. Kelly led City's charge for a breakthrough but with the game still delicately poised, Barton's side gained a man advantage with Street's red card following his foul on Wilde.

Increased urgency swept through Worcester ranks, prompting a double salvo on 74 minutes.

Firstly John Snape's goalbound effort was blocked by Wiles, and then Wilde, following up, clipped a dipping shot against the bar. Two minutes later Owen broke the deadlock and the afternoon ended in style for Carty on his 200th appearance when he thumped a 25 yard shot that forced Nicholls to tip over.