Saturday, March 15, 2003

THEY say you don't always get what you deserve in life but City's shoddy display got exactly what it merited - nothing.

The team-sheets purported to show two sides but in reality only one team turned up at St George's Lane and it wasn't Worcester.

Manager John Barton can only hope the 2-0 defeat to Tiverton was a blip otherwise City face the prospect of a third season of limping impotently to the Dr Martens Premier Division finishing line.

The stark facts were that Worcester were second best - particularly in midfield which barely strung two passes together and offered little in the way of creativity.

The ball assumed hot potato characteristics as it was hoofed hither and thither with little pattern or cohesion to the play.

Granted the cream of Barton's squad was sat in the stand but one still expected to see the passion and commitment that have been the haul-marks of Barton's side this season.

But bar Adam Webster and Allan Davies in the second half there was scant evidence of any on display. The match was not without energy but too often it was mis-directed in an ill-tempered affair which produced five bookings.

Jon Holloway and Paul Chenoweth's simmering feud bubbled away constantly throughout but there was precious constructive action where it mattered - in the opposing penalty area.

It was a day of massive underachievement and one of the biggest culprits was Adam Wilde.

Potentially City's biggest threat he was a marginal figure and it was another pacy winger that stole the headlines with Tivvy's Jamie Mudge the architect of the home side's downfall.

He was involved in both goals, setting up the first and scoring the second, and generally gave Paul Carty a torrid time on his return to the first team after recovering from injury.

Mudge created the first in the 13th minute, weaving space on the right before firing a low cross for Phil Everett who flung himself at full stretch to power a header home past Danny McDonnell.

It was ominous from that point on and City's poor opening 45 minutes was concluded with just a solitary Mitch Counsell shot to show for their efforts.

In fact the most urgency shown was by Barton who on the half time whistle sprinted to the dressing room no doubt to load the shotgun in preparation to let rip with both barrels.

Hopes of a revival after the break soon receded and a comedy of errors between Burrow, Davies and McDonnell almost let in Mudge.

The home side should have equalised in the 52nd minute through Burrow but symptomatic of his side's fortunes he somehow glanced Davies' superb ball wide.

Burrow could have made amends a little later with another free header from a long throw but he put his effort straight at Foster.

Tiverton for their part had opportunities to extend the lead with Everett whistling a drive just wide and then pouncing on a miscued Counsell header but hooking his shot just over.

Counsell eventually made way for Dan Jones in the 59th minute as Barton switched to a 3-4-3 tactic but it had little impact.

The most annoying aspect of City's play was the poor delivery from crosses and set pieces with Carty and Wilde at fault in that respect.

With 14 minutes left Barton gambled by throwing on Darren Middleton and Mark Owen. It briefly galvanised City with Middleton testing Foster and a one-two between Jones and Holloway ending with a ricochet just past the post.

It was short-lived however and within five minutes Tiverton were further ahead.

Mark Shail's poor pass was intercepted by Mudge who raced the length of the pitch before cutting inside Carty and firing a low shot under McDonnell.

It was a bad end to a bad day and City's misfiring cast can expect to be put through the mill at training tonight.