Saturday, September 29, 2001

HOT-SHOT striker Mark Owen fired his third hat-trick of the season, including his 100th goal for the club, as Worcester City ran out 5-0 winners at Barnstaple Town in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

The 23-year-old reached the magical mark in the 16th minute when he ran onto a long pass from Marc Burrow on the right flank and cut inside to fire low past the diving David Penberthy and disappear under a mountain of teammates.

It was a special moment, but the superstitious forward admitted he was relieved to grab his second to take him off 13 goals for the season.

"I was more conscious that it was my thirteenth goal than my 100th to be honest so I was glad to get the penalty to get off that unlucky thirteen," he said.

"It is a great privilege, how many great centre forwards have Worcester had over the years, people keep telling me about them, so it is great to be up there with them."

City dominated the play and a quick corner from Ian Cottrill enabled Allan Davies to swing in a cross that Owen headed just too high.

But the visitors had to wait until the 37th minute to double their advantage through Darren Middleton. Barum failed to clear a corner allowing the midfielder to beat a player before he nonchalantly flicked the ball with the outside of his foot into the top corner.

A minute before the break Middleton was bundled over in the box, but City's loud appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears.

Worcester continued to have most of the possession and were three up in the 58th minute. A quick throw from Phil Stant found Jon Holloway bursting into the box, but the midfielder was upended for a penalty which Owen converted.

City increased their lead through a Stant backpost header in the 71st minute after tricky wing play by substitute Dwain McFarlane who found Middleton to swing over a cross.

With six minutes to play Owen scored his 15th goal of the season after substitute Mark Shepherd unselfishly squared for the centre-forward to roll the ball into an empty net.

Paul Wyatt, struggling with flu, was rarely troubled by Barum whose best chance came in the final minute when Kevin Squire shot high and wide from close range.

City manager John Barton was pleased with the display and happy to be in the next round and felt his side's opening spell of play had laid the groundwork for the victory.

"When you talk about the FA Cup you are always pleased irrespective of the performance as long as you are in the hat for the next round," he said.

"We played some decent stuff on a tricky surface.

"We are notoriously bad starters but we began positively and it gave us a foundation for that sort of scoreline.

"We are not kidding ourselves but we've played a team of a lesser standard and done what we should do to that type of side."

GOALSCORERS: Owen 16 (0-1), Middleton 37 (0-2), Owen 58 pen (0-3), Stant 71 (0-4), Owen 84 (0-5). STAR PLAYER: Mark Owen. CARDS: Attendance: 320. Referee: Mr P. Grenfell (Penzance). BARNSTAPLE: Penberthy, Dann, Green (Veale 75), Ovey, Harris, Middleton, Amooie, Watts (Pointing 56), Murray, Squire, Bell (Davey 58). Sub (not used): Williams. WORCESTER: Wyatt 6, Davies 7, Burrow 7, Jukes 6, Holloway 7 (Ellis 71), Middleton 7, Carty 7 (McFarlane 67, 7), Owen 9, Stant 7 (Shepherd 75), Cottrill 7. Subs (not used): Hyde, Goodman.