City 2 Hinckley United 1

Until the midfielder's decisive intervention two minutes into injury-time the game looked to be heading for a draw after Hinckley's Leon Jackson had cancelled out Jamie Price's 64th-minute free-kick.

But Nwadike, skippering the side in the continued absence of Chris Smith, popped up with a powerful header to secure victory with virtually the last touch of the contest.

The relief at bouncing back from two successive defeats, both by the same 3-0 margin, was palpable and a huge shot in the arm for Richard Dryden's injury-hit squad.

A large proportion of the playing personnel were unable to train on Thursday night but City made light of that to complete the double over Hinckley.

And considering the ever-growing casualty list, Dryden was able to field a strong, balanced side.

Jonathan Munday, on a month's loan from Kidderminster Harriers, joined up alongside Ryan Clarke in the heart of defence and the pair restored some solidarity at the back.

Munday won just about every challenge in the air, while in-form Clarke was on hand to clear up any loose balls.

With Kevin Spencer's knee injury relegating him to a subs bench including youth-teamers Craig Brown, Sam Tyack and Malvern loanee Jamie Hyde, Graham Ward got a welcome run-out in the right-back role he occupied last season.

Price returned to left-back, a position he was employed in under John Barton, and Gary Walker kept his place on the left of midfield alongside the back-from-suspension George Clegg.

Dryden will also have been glad to see everyone come through either unscathed or having sustained no further damage in the line of duty.

Chances were few and far between in the first-half with City's best efforts falling to Nwadike and Mark Danks.

Adam Webster and Craig Wilding combined to play in Danks and the striker burst into the box before having his shot beaten away by keeper Sean Bowles on 34 minutes.

Nwadike should have opened the scoring with his opportunity on the stroke of half-time but fired straight at Bowles after breaking through the middle.

Bowles' opposite number Cameron Belford, whose father Dale was on the bench for the visitors, had just one meaningful save to make in the first period, getting down low to smother former Worcester forward Leon Kelly's strike.

But he would have been helpless had Jackson hit the target with a close-range header instead of clearing the crossbar.

Munday marked his debut with a first-half yellow card for a high challenge on Colin Marrison, who was also cautioned along with Kelly for Hinckley.

Nick Colley's arrival for Danks on 56 minutes gave the hosts fresh impetus on the right flank with Webster moved up front to partner Wilding, the second City player to see yellow in the match.

Within minutes of the change Munday's shot on the turn had forced Bowles into a save and soon afterwards Worcester were ahead.

A free-kick from level with the edge of the penalty area on City's right was swung dangerously into the box by Price and the ball managed to evade everybody to creep past Bowles on the near-post.

It was a goal the contest had been crying out for, but it also served as a kick up the backside for Hinckley, who replaced Marrison with David Burtoft and took the game to their hosts.

Despite some confident defending from Dryden's men, Hinckley's efforts were rewarded on 80 minutes.

Walker, who hitherto had enjoyed a decent match, lost the ball in his own penalty area and Kelly stole in to dink a cross into the six-yard box for Jackson to nod home.

Hinckley, who also had captain Richard Lavery and Harry Harris cautioned in the second period, might have added another but Mike Byron headed over.

The visitors must have thought they had done enough, but anyone who has watched City knows they have a penchant for late goals.

The latest in that catalogue arrived two minutes into stoppage-time.

Wilding helped a cross on its way with an overhead kick and Nwadike rose to head beyond Bowles.