WORCESTER City chose their final home match of the season to turn in arguably their best performance of the campaign.
But boy did they leave it late.
In ensuring they remain unbeaten at St George's Lane in 2007, City put their fans through the mill against a dreadful Hucknall Town side.
From virtually the first whistle, Andy Preece's side battered their visitors into submission as they laid siege to Gregg Smith's goal.
If this had been a boxing match, referee Ian Evans would have stopped it at half-time, such was City's dominance.
Yet it took Mark Danks, a delight to watch at times, until nine minutes from time to make the home faithful breathe a little easier.
Adam Webster, who worked tirelessly throughout, headed the ball on in the penalty area. It dropped to Danks 12 yards out and the diminutive striker blasted it home before ripping his shirt off in jubilation.
Substitute Tom Warmer, who replaced Webster two minutes after City had taken the lead, sealed the points two minutes into injury time.
Nick Colley beat the offside trap in running on to Craig Wilding's precision pass and played a square pass to Warmer who slotted the ball past Smith.
That ensured, like Worcester Warriors up the road, that City's fate will be decided on the final day of the season next Saturday after results went their way.
But the hosts could have made life a lot easier for themselves. They created countless chances in an entertaining contest but were continually thwarted by an inspired performance from Hucknall goalkeeper Smith.
He denied Webster's effort with a superb tip-over after just four minutes and held on to Danks' shot after the striker had skillfully set himself up 14 minutes later.
Smith came to his side's rescue again on 28 minutes as he saved well from Danks and he got down low two minutes later to deny Adam Burley from close in.
Graham Ward and George Clegg also went close with free-kicks, Des Lyttle headed wide from Clegg's corner and Wilding was denied by Smith - all before the break.
It was a similar story afterwards. Barely 60 seconds had elapsed when Smith produced an acrobatic flip to push away Colley's delightful lob.
There was brief respite for Hucknall when former Ip-swich Town striker David Johnson cannoned a shot against the crossbar after 54 minutes.
But that was as good as it got for Andy Legg's visitors, who also had Paul Dempsey and Laurie Wilson booked, on a day to forget.
City, attacking at will, upped the tempo and, within the space of a frantic minute, Danks' sweetly-struck volley was pushed away by Smith and Chris Smith's header was cleared off the line by Bobby Wilson.
As the frustration levels increased, Danks fired into the side netting and, six minutes later, put the rebound over after captain Lyttle's header had been saved following Clegg's free-kick.
Danny McDonnell was br-iefly called into action to hold John Burns' low drive but otherwise the City stopper was a virtual spectator.
But it looked like it wasn't going to be City's day, until Danks and Warmer finally broke the deadlock for three vital points.
City: McDonnell, Ward, Burley, Smith, Hodnett, Lyttle, Colley, Webster (Warmer 83), Danks, Wilding, Clegg. Subs not used: Wood, Preece. Attendance: 835.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article