Worcester City bounced back from their mid-week cup exit to go within a point of Hellenic League Premier leaders Corsham Town with a dominant victory over Royal Wootton Bassett Town.

On a difficult surface, Liam Lockett scored his 19th and 20th goals of the season to put City 2-0 up at the break in front of over 800 at Claines Lane.

Kyle Belmonte then scored twice in the second-half, including a 40-yard lob, as City moved to within one win of matching the club record for consecutive league victories (12).

It was a dominant first-half from City, who went ahead after nine minutes when winger Lockett beat keeper Rob Brown at his near post with a low finish into the bottom corner.

City doubled their lead mid-way through the half when Logan Stoddart’s low cross was pushed into the path of Lockett, who took a touch before thumping a finish past Brown and a defender on the line.

City keeper Haydn Whitcombe did make a terrific save at 2-0 to somehow keep Bassett’s Bailey Gallagher’s close-range shot from finding the net.

At the other end, Brown denied Lockett a first-half hat-trick with his feet after he met Dylan Hart’s precise low ball into the box.

The next goal in the game was always going to be key and it was the hosts who got it.

A ball was played back into the path of an arriving Belmonte, who guided a shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

Lockett and Jamie Insall both went close to adding to the score as City camped in the Bassett half for almost the entirety of the second 45 minutes.

There was time for one more goal and it was the pick of the bunch as a quick free-kick just inside the Bassett half was taken by captain Adam Mace and Belmonte spotted keeper Brown off his line and lobbed him from 40 yards into the bottom corner.

It was the required response from City after Tuesday’s WFA Senior Cup exit and coupled with title rivals Corsham dropping points, it was the perfect afternoon.