STRIKER Mark Owen rolled back the years with a match winning hat-trick for Worcester City against Weston at the weekend.

The St George's Lane favourite, who has plundered more than 100 goals for the club, recaptured his scoring touch in style to help John Barton's side to just their third win in 12 league games.

Victory leaves City still ninth in the Dr Martens Premier Division table but just three points behind second-placed Hinckley Town.

For Owen, Saturday's 3-0 win was a personal triumph after a lengthy spell out of the side which had seen him not start a match since September 13.

But despite his own success Owen was more concerned with the three points.

"It's obviously good to score three goals but it was more important that the team played well and got the victory because we needed it," he said.

"Everyone knows we have gone through a bad patch but to be honest I think we've been unlucky and it was nice that everything went right for us.

"We were superb from one to eleven and deserved the points."

But while the match ended in glory for Owen at one stage it looked like ending in disaster after he missed a 22nd minute penalty and an easy chance just before the break.

"It was a terrible penalty," admitted Owen.

"I just didn't connect with it. I had so many things going through my mind I just didn't concentrate properly."

Owen, who bagged three hat-tricks at the start of the 2001-02 season before he broke his leg, reckons Saturday's effort was the best of his career.

It included a diving header, a left-foot effort from close range and a curling right-foot shot.

"To get a hat-trick like that with different parts of the body is very pleasing," he said.

Meanwhile, another City favourite takes centre stage tonight with Ian Cottrill's testimonial at St George's Lane (7.45) where City will take on their Third Division neighbours Kidderminster Harriers.

Midfielder Craig Woodley, who has been on trila with City, has joined Dr Martens Western Division leaders Redditch United.