30/8/04 - TWO goals inside the first 16 minutes from striker Leon Kelly gave Worcester City a dream start in their Nationwide North game at Hucknall Town -- but the home side fought back to force a 2-2 draw.

City started like an express train and at one stage it looked as though a rout was on the cards, as they tore last season's Unibond League champions apart with some fine attacking football.

But suddenly the flowing football disappeared and Hucknall began to put the visitors under pressure with their own direct style of play.

Striker Adam Webster headed an early Jai Stanley free-kick straight into the hands of goalkeeper Matthew Taylor and Colin Hoyle's downward header forced a fine save from Taylor, before City took a deserved lead on 12 minutes.

Webster's pass across the box deflected to Kelly who headed home from close range.

Just four minutes later City appeared to be in complete control as they doubled their advantage.

Rob Warner's reverse pass from inside his own half found Kelly. The striker shrugged off a couple of weak challenges before coolly slotting the ball past Taylor.

Hucknall, who had looked a very poor outfit in the early stages, had a goal disallowed on 24 minutes but that seemed to spark them into life.

They pulled a goal back on the half-hour mark when Danny Bacon fired the ball past McDonnell after Barry Woolley was left out of position having taken a blow to his face in the build-up.

City battled back and Kelly almost completed a hat-trick when his shot hit the post, and Webster headed inches wide from the rebound.

Worcester had a couple of good opportunities to make the points certain, but Nick Colley's weak effort hit the legs of Taylor and then a lob from Kelly went agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

City were then made to pay for these misses, when Hucknall equalised with 11 minutes remaining. A cross-shot from Gary Ricketts deflected into the path of Andy Todd who fired home from eight yards.

Hucknall might have won the game in stoppage time but Bacon hit the post from an acute angle.

City: McDonnell 7, Warner 7, Hines 6, Hoyle 6, Woolley 7, Carty 6, Colley 6 (Heeley 69, 6), Stanley 6, Webster 7, H Kelly 8, Lyons 6. Subs not used - Davies, Hobbs, Khan. Skyers.

Attendance: 424.