Saturday, September 11, 2004

TALK of promotion from Nationwide North is far too premature at this early stage of the season.

But if Worcester City continue to sprinkle the five-star football that blitzed Lancaster back up the M6, then dreams of Conference status next season will become ever more a reality.

St George's Lane was buzzing with excitement at full-time after a City display to which their North Lancashire opponents simply had no answer.

It now remains to be seen if John Barton's men can repeat this box office performance tonight, as Kettering Town should provide sterner resistance.

Not many teams would have lived with City in this mood though.

Barring a short spell either side of half-time, Worcester bossed the game and proved too hot to handle for the Dolly Blues.

Strikers Adam Webster and Leon Kelly added to their impressive goal tallies, now seven strikes in eight games, in another tireless effort from the pair.

And a treat for the home fans was centre-half Colin Hoyle roaring forward, trading a lovely one-two with Kelly, to score City's all important third goal.

Hoyle joked: "I get my fair share of goals throughout the season but not usually after a build-up like that! They mostly come from corners."

Lancaster strung five across the midfield but they looked the side lacking numbers as Pat Lyons, Nick Colley and Paul Carty grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck.

Carty covered every blade of grass, mopping up the danger in defence one moment then providing the link behind the front two.

Worcester's back four had an assured look with captain Carl Heeley returning for his first start of the season.

However, the threat from the visitors always lurked when dangerman Ryan-Zico Black had the ball.

City attacked from the opening whistle and Jai Stanley was the first to unsettle the Lancaster defence, firing a snap shot wide on three minutes, and Kelly had a fierce low drive well saved by Lancaster goalkeeper Jamie Speare at his near post.

Webster put City in front on eight minutes, meeting Nick Colley's perfect cross with a looping header over Speare into the far corner.

Speare was called into action again to tip Stanley's curling free-kick around the post on 19 minutes.

It was while Worcester continued to press that Lancaster sprung a surprise equaliser.

Just after the half-hour mark, Black spun past two midfielders and laid on Neil Prince who raced past a flat-footed defence before beating Aaron Kerr.

Black caused further bother on 52 minutes, getting round Rob Warner and unleashing a cross which had just too much purchase for Steve Jones.

City quickly regrouped and retook the lead with a fine goal.

Tidy build-up work between Lyons and Carty helped set up Kelly and the former Ilkeston Town striker stroked home his seventh goal of the season.

Speare spilt chances from Webster and Kelly as Worcester chased a third but it was Hoyle who capped a fine performance on 75 minutes.

The ex-Burton Albion defender showed all the hallmarks of a striker, collecting a pass from Carty and playing a clever one-two with Kelly before rounding Speare and scuffing his shot into the empty net.

Hoyle said: "We definitely need another good performance on the back of this one. If we can get three points it will have been a massive weekend for us."

City: Kerr 7, Warner 7, Hines 8, Hoyle 8, Heeley 7, *Carty 8, Colley 8, Stanley 7 (McDonald 44), Webster 8 (Woolley 78), Kelly 8, Lyons 7. Subs not used: Davies, Hobbs, Skyers. Attendance: 916.