Gainsborough 0 City 1

JOY and relief exploded into one at the Northolme when Adam Webster righted his wrongs with an injury-time dazzler.

After 90 minutes, it looked for all the world to be another infuriating day when nothing would quite hit the spot for Worcester City and Webster.

He missed a catalogue of chances as City laid siege to Gainsborough's goal, reflecting the general pattern of wastefulness in recent weeks and months.

But, like all good strikers, Webster came back for more and defeated football's most uncompromising enemy -- the ticking clock -- to slam home a stunning last-gasp overhead-kick.

Bedlam then broke loose. City's dug-out erupted in pure jack-in-the-box style, while Webster led his team-mates a merry dance towards the half-way line.

Even Danny McDonnell, sprinting faster than supporters had ever seen, made up 60 yards to join in the celebrations, as Trinity had no time to respond.

At the final whistle, Worcester players ran to acknowledge the 30 or so travelling fans behind the goal.

Nick Colley was most passionate, revealing his side's emotion with a triumphant raised fist.

This, after all, was a hugely significant result for City, their fifth victory of the Nationwide North campaign. Most importantly, they broke an away-day hoodoo.

It was thoroughly deserved too after City emphatically battered Lincolnshire's Blues in the last half-hour.

Just one side was going to win, but hitting the net proved the same old dilemma.

To cap off a richly rewarding afternoon, striker Mark Danks looked the part on his debut, while fellow new-boy Dennis Pearce was outstanding in defence.

Small and nippy, Danks consistently found space to cause trouble and was only inches from opening his account.

"I think we deserved it in the end," said Danks. "We've ended up with chances to win by more than one goal. We've kept a clean sheet and I think everybody is happy with that.

"We came close to losing it a couple of times, but we deserved the win.

"I feel as though there's a lot more to come from me. I've been playing at Cirencester, which is a league below. I was getting used to being at that level and now I'm having to step it up.

Cobwebs

"But I've not been training for the last week prior to joining Worcester. Hopefully, this has blown the cobwebs out and I should be fine for the Hinckley game."

Leon Kelly returns from suspension, but Danks will give Andy Preece food for thought after striking an enterprising partnership with Webster.

The 21-year-old almost capped his debut with a 12th-minute goal. His neat flick header from Liam McDonald's cross sailed past Trinity goalkeeper Jamie Holshaw, but Nick Ellis thumped away off the goal-line.

Earlier, Trinity double-act Matthew Caudwell and Ryan Mallon tore Worcester apart in a brisk move before Mallon's shot deflected fractions over the crossbar.

Jamie Smith then hoofed off-target following more good work by Caudwell and Mallon.

Despite the lowly league position of both clubs, the game was surprisingly open.

From another quick burst, Caudwell crossed from the left flank only for Smith to steer his header over again.

At the other end, George Clegg fizzed a 25-yard drive down Holmshaw's throat.

The first of Webster's bad misses came before the interval. Racing clear on goal from Danks' through-ball, Webster managed to beat Holmshaw on his weaker left foot, but the ball struck an upright and Ellis diverted Colley's rebound away.

Plenty more carelessness arrived in the second-half as City stormed forward relentlessly with an extra striker, Preece replacing teenage midfielder Sam Wedgbury.

From a two-on-one counter, Worcester should have engineered a better end-product than Clegg's 30-yard effort, which Holmshaw comfortably held.

Webster's turn and shot inside the Trinity box then whistled past the top-corner.

Trinity felt they were denied a penalty on 72 minutes, when Pearce pushed Eric Graves, but Worcester stormed back again.

Colley snatched wide of goal from the edge of the box and Holmshaw somehow tipped over Les Hines' thumping shot.

Webster spurned two more chances as Trinity lost all shape, first heading over from eight yards with Holmshaw out of position, then denied in a one-on-one after being put through by Clegg.

That was seemingly the best and last chance of them all, until the pressure eventually told with less than 60 seconds left.

From Hines' corner, Justin Thompson's downward header bounced off a defender and Webster hooked into the roof of the net from four yards.

CITY: McDonnell, Warner, McDonald (Hines 68), Pearce, Thompson, Lyttle, Clegg, Colley, Danks, Webster, Wedgbury (Preece 68). Subs not used: Wood, Warmer, Khan.

ATTENDANCE: 378.