WORCESTER City saw their hard work go unrewarded as Chelmsford City stole the points with a narrow victory at St George’s Lane.

City were in the ascendancy for long periods of the Blue Square South match but could not make their pressure pay and were caught twice against the run of play to slip to their second home defeat in three days in front of their second-lowest home gate of the season.

Richard Dryden’s side showed a vast improvement from Saturday's defeat to Welling and deserved to be level at the break, Rob Davies cancelling out Ricky Modeste’s opener seconds after replacing injured skipper Tom Kemp in first-half stoppage-time.

City then took the game to Chelmsford in the second-half but again failed to capitalise and were hit on the break 12 minutes from time with Ricky Holmes supplying the finishing touch.

Marco Adaggio was recalled to the City team, giving the hosts an extra edge in attack, and was one of four changes from the weekend with Wayne Daniel, Gary Walker and Matt Dinsmore coming in for Marvin Brown, Graham Ward, Alfie Carter and Mark Clyde.

City were clearly intent on getting off to a good start and they saw plenty of the ball. Matt Birley played a neat one-two with Dinsmore before firing into the side netting, while Daniel’s header was flicked past his own post by Steve Clark.

Chelmsford’s goal came almost out of the blue. City’s recent defensive frailties were again to the fore as Modeste was left unmarked in the six-yard box and he had plenty of time to lash the ball past Ben Hinchliffe. The keeper then did well to block from Ricky Holmes after Danny Hockton had split the defence.

Worcester, though, earned a deserved equaliser seconds after Kemp had left the action feeling the affects of an earlier challenge from John Martin. The ball fell to Davies on the edge of the area and he turned to fire a shot across keeper Craig Holloway into the bottom corner with virtually his first touch.

Craig Wilding became a makeshift centre-half for the second-half, allowing Davies to slot into midfield, and City attacked at every opportunity.

Adaggio flashed a shot agonisingly wide of Holloway’s far post and McGregor saw a header held by Holloway from Davies' corner.

City continued to press and forced a flurry of corners, McGregor just failing to reach Dinsmore's cross in the six-yard box.

Chelmsford soaked up the pressure and hit the hosts with a sucker punch in the 78th minute. John Martin dispossessed Dinsmore, slid the ball through to Holmes and he beat Hinchliffe with a firm finish.

It was harsh on City but they almost levelled in the third minute of stoppage time, Adaggio poking an effort agonisingly wide.

City: Hinchliffe 7, Spencer 7, Khan 7, Wilding 7, Daniel 7, Kemp 8 (Davies 45+1, 8), Walker 7, Birley 8*, McGregor (Brown 83) 7, Adaggio 8, Dinsmore 7 (Carter 89). Subs not used: Ward, Meredith.

Attendance: 516.