Saturday, February 8, 2003

AN appalling pitch, a lousy referee, or just plain bad luck - the excuses for defeat are legion but the upshot is that Worcester City's title hopes lie in ruins.

For much of an absorbing contest at Marston Road, City had the measure of second-placed Stafford Rangers but when the final whistle went the scoreline made miserable reading.

Phil Robinson's side had edged victory 2-1 to complete a league double over John Barton's team who deserved a draw after hauling themselves back into the match with Adam Webster's superbly taken equaliser in the 59th minute.

But nothing has quite gone to script in recent weeks for the St George's Lane club and it was ditto this time when 10 minutes after equalising City were sucker-punched by a Lee Barrow breakaway goal.

Even when Rangers were reduced to 10 men for the 76th minute dismissal of Craig McAughtrie for use of the elbow, City could not take advantage and watched their aspirations slowly ebb away.

But if this does prove the end of their championship dream at least there was the consolation they went down with all guns blazing.

On a travesty of a pitch - think beach and Stamford Bridge and you're not far away - Worcester managed some decent football but ultimately fell short at the business end.

Watching from the stands were Paul Carty, Pat Lyons, Darren Middleton, David Foy and John Snape but it was possibly the goal-poaching skills of Mark Owen that were missed most - and have been for a while.

David Holmes and Webster as a tandem slog their guts out but there is no substitute for the selfish streak of an Owen in front of goal.

The match had begun in dreadful fashion for City when in the fourth minute Dennis Bailey headed in unmarked at the back post.

The ex-QPR and Birmingham City striker proved a lively threat and Mark Blount had his hands full with the aerial challenge of the gangly Daniel Davidson.

Stafford's use of the quick ball over the top exposed City a number of times and Marc Burrow, in his first league game of the season, put in a last-ditch block to deny Bailey a second goal.

For their part City's threat came from Adam Wilde, both on the flank and from deadball situations where he came close to an equaliser with a 20th minute effort half parried by Ryan Price.

It was end to end stuff and, in spite of some atrocious refereeing, the match sustained its momentum throughout and had plenty to keep the large crowd riveted.

The lumbering McAughtrie rattled the bar with a thumping free kick in the 32nd minute and a similar effort two minutes later led to a goal - disallowed for offside against Barrow who tapped home following McDonnell's save.

The second half saw further chances but mostly of the half variety such as Webster's neat turn in the 58th minute, stopped by Price.

That was merely the sighter however for within 60 seconds Webster had found the net with a wonderful twist and shot low into the corner. The move had been initiated by Allan Davies whose low ball was eventually fed through by Burrow for Webster to claim his 10th goal of the season.

Their hackles up City pressed for the winner, though Carl Heeley still needed to put in a timely header to deny Stafford moments after the restart.

But with all nine players committed in the box for a corner, City were undone by a stroke of misfortune. Wilde's fiercely struck volley after a corner was charged down, cleared and within seconds Robinson was bursting up field with just Davies in his way.

The ex-Wolves midfielder calmly fed in Barrow who despite the efforts of Wilde struck the ball inside McDonnell's right hand post.

City nearly salvaged a point late on when another Wilde volley was deflected just wide but by then one had the feeling it was just not meant to be - perhaps like this year's Dr Martens Premier Division title challenge.