Tuesday, August 17, 2004

A SUPERB all-round performance enabled Worcester City to hand out a 4-0 Nationwide Conference North hammering to county rivals Redditch United at a rain-swept Valley Stadium last night.

Redditch made the brighter start, but as soon as City went in front on 13 minutes, it was a different story and in the end there was a massive gulf between the two sides.

In their first league meeting be-tween the clubs for 15 years, Redditch had a couple of early opportunities but goalkeeper Danny McDonnell was alert to deny Sean Flynn and then save a weak Scott Voice header.

City defender Barry Woolley had a shot cleared away by Gary Knight before the same combination were involved in City's opening goal.

Knight fouled Woolley 20 yards from goal and Jai Stanley, the best player on the pitch, spotted a gap in the defensive wall and sent the free-kick into the bottom right-hand corner.

Boosted by this, City began to play some excellent football and they made it 2-0 ten minutes later. A neat interchange between Stanley and Paul Carty in midfield ended with the former setting up Leon Kelly for a coolly taken second goal.

Suddenly, there appeared to be huge gaps in the Redditch defence and City went further ahead on 29 minutes -- this time thanks to a 30-yard free-kick from Les Hines into the top corner.

It might have been four before half-time but Adam Webster's effort was ruled out for offside.

Redditch had a couple of half-chances in the second-half but generally it was a case of damage limitation for them.

Mark Taylor and Simon Hollis went close but had it not been for Richard Antiss in the home goal, City might have won by an even bigger margin.

John Barton's side did manage to score a fourth with 15 minutes remaining. Antiss tipped Stanley's powerful shot onto the bar and Webster was on hand to head in the rebound.

City gave a debut to striker Tom Hobbs, another product of their highly successful football development scheme, in the last ten minutes and he helped to create a chance for Kelly but again Antiss did well.

Worcester: McDonnell 8, Warner 8, Hines 8, Hoyle 8, Woolley 8, Carty 7, Colley 7, H Stanley 9, Webster 8 (Hobbs 81), Kelly 8, Lyons 7. Subs (not used): Davies, McDonald, Khan, Skyers.

Attendance: 946.