Saturday, January 12, 2002

INJURY crisis - what injury crisis?

Worcester City dished up a six-goal feast for the St George's Lane faithful, including a Darren Bullock hat-trick, as they made light of a situation which 24 hours before kick off almost had manager John Barton dusting down his boots for a game.

The Dr Martens Premier Division's bottom club Salisbury City were cut to ribbons in a sublime first-half display which put City 3-0 up before three goals in the final five minutes rubber-stamped City's authority.

If Barton was depressed on Thursday night as he contemplated just 10 fit first-teamers, then he must have been buoyed by the passing and movement that created wave after wave of chances and earned City their third win on the trot.

Two new faces were in the City line-up with Mark Shail stepping in at the 11th hour to help out his old club while new signing Adam Webster made his long-awaited debut.

For Webster, struck down by 'flu and in bed for most of the week, it was by his own admission his best ever debut in his career to date despite not scoring -- an 83rd minute header ruled out for pushing.

"I really enjoyed it and just wish I could have scored but the side got three points and played well and I'm just looking forward to the rest of the games," he said.

"City play football the way I like to play and this was my best debut ever, although I felt tired towards the end because it was my first game in five weeks."

It was also a welcome return to the Lane for Shail whose successful career started here in the 1980s and the defender was more than happy, if not a little surprised, to be playing for City less than a week after leaving Kidderminster Harriers.

"I've had a very hectic week getting my settlement from Harriers and my plan was to take some 10 days to two weeks off to decide what my options were but Graham Selby, a very old friend of mine, called me late on Thursday night and said they were down to their bare bones and struggling to field a team," he said.

"Graham and I go back a long way and I agreed to come in and help them out because they are a club close to my heart."

Shail, who has tipped City to be back in the Conference within a few years, also predicted bright things for Webster. "I thought he was impressive -- he worked very hard and he and Stewart together looked a real handful and he looks to have a big future," he said.

"We played pretty well apart from 15 minutes after half-time when it got a bit sloppy, they changed their formation and full credit to Salisbury they never gave up and gave it everything they had.

"But in the end we had a little bit too much for them going forward and to score six and create as many chances as we did is pleasing."

Hadley opened the scoring in the 14th minute sliding home Webster's cross before Bullock doubled the advantage with a swerving free kick seven minutes later.

Marc Burrow scored a third, set up by Hadley, to effectively wrap up the points before the break but further goals were to come from Bullock (two) and substitute Andy Ellis with a deft piece of skill that left a defender on his back side and the keeper clutching thin air.

The plus points for Barton were all over the pitch -- Webster offering ample proof of why City's boss rates him so highly, Paul Carty continuing as a player reborn in his left-back role, Hadley again terrific and the irrepressible Bullock being -- well, Darren Bullock.

Whether playing defence splitting passes, leg splitting tackles, or engaged in verbal exchanges with the bench, the midfielder was involved in everything and struck two superb goals, before sealing his hat-trick with a stoppage-time penalty thumped high into the roof of the net.

"It is my first ever hat-trick apart from Sunday league football but I think if I hadn't scored the second I would have given the penalty to Adam Webster who worked very hard and deserved a goal," said Bullock.