2004/5
Moor Green v Worcester City - Tuesday 22nd March 2005
The Worcester City revival continued as they duly completed a league double against their Birmingham based opponents. The game unusually took place at Damson Park, home of Solihull Borough FC which is the temporary home of the Moors following a fire at their own ground.
Moor Green were much the better team in the first half but they failed to take their chances and the score remained at 0-0 at half time. The second half was a different affair as City dominated proceedings and went into a two goal lead with fine strikes by Adam Webster and Nick Colley. City "old boy" Darren Middleton pulled one back with ten minutes remaining but City ran out comfortable winners by 2 goals to 1.
Worcester City v Bradford Park Avenue - Saturday 5th March 2005
They say that you wait for ages for a bus and then along come two at a time and so it was for Worcester City who recorded their second home win of 2005 with a victory in an exciting game against a down but far from out Bradford PA team. Bradford may be bottom of the table but they showed plenty of the sort of spirit that recently saw them demolish leaders Southport.
When your luck is out though, it really is out and seconds after Danny McDonnell had made a superb stop to deny the lead to the visitors a Route One ball up the middle saw Adam Webster storm hrough to score with an intelligent lob. Seconds later the same player staked an early claim for the March Player of the Month award when he unleased an unstoppable drive from the edge of the box.
At 2-0 to the home side the game should have been all over but a spirited fight back saw Bradford pull a goal back on the hour. City Manager Andy Preece could not have been pleased with the final 30 minutes of the game that saw City hanging on grimly, with the help of the woodwork, to record their third win in a row.
Worcester City v Gainsborough - Monday 7th February 2005
A rare evening fixture for the City saw a much improved performance all round but the same old result - this time a 2-1 defeat to a neat and purposeful Gainsborough team.
City shaded the first half but poor marking was their downfall as an attacker was left unmarked in the box to head home the opening goal.
The second half was largely dominated by Worcester with the visitors content to play deep and let the City attack them. A double substitution that saw John Snape and Nick Colley come on brought an immediate dividend as a surging run into the box by Leon Kelly was only stopped by a crude challenge.
Just when it looked as though City would go on to win, a mistake by Carty led to a fortuitous goal after a shot was deflected into goal off a City defender.
Jai Stanley deserved to level the score with a superb shot but it was well saved and so City remain without a win in 2005.
Worcester City v Southport - Saturday 5th February 2005
Another month, a new manager, same poor weather and same old result - this time losing by three goals to one.
Southport scored first after breaking through a fragile looking offside trap. but Webster hit back soon after with the goal of the season so far. A fantastic volley from just inside the box.
Both sides created chances but Southport retook the lead with a fine shot on 40 minutes.
The game ended as a contest when a schoolboy error by Matt Gardner gave the ball away and allowed a Southport player to go through on goal. The inevitable penalty saw City reduced to 10 men and the game over.
Worcester City v Harrogate Town - Saturday 22nd January 2005
A bleak and wet St George's Lane was in keeping with the sombre mood following the shock departure of Mark Owen to Moor Green and the resignation of manager John Barton.
The first half was an even affair with City's Adam Webster unlucky with a shot that rebounded from the crossbar.
It was a nightmare afternoon for the officially who failed to spot obvious offside's in the buildup to both Harrogate's first goal and Jai Stanley's equaliser for City. The latter looked to be enough to secure a much needed point but it was not to be as Harrogate dominated the closing minutes and rounded off their afternoon with a fine goal from a corner.
The poor weather restricted photography to this view of the fans huddled together under cover on the Brookside.
Worcester City v Ashton United - Saturday 8th January 2005
Full credit goes to both sides after the highly exciting and enjoyable draw at St George's that both sides will feel they ought to have won. A fierce gale was blowing straight down the ground making
conditions very difficult for both teams. Worcester had first use of the wind and took the lead with a spectacular strike from Tom Warmer. This lead was nearly doubled when Rob Warner's shot came back off the bar just before half time.
In a mad five minutes in the second half three goals were scored. Adam Webster doubled Worcester's lead although he was perhaps offside. But two quick goals levelled the score. Danny McDonnell made countless point blank saves as the visitors sought out the winner whist Worcester themselves came close on several occasions.
Worcester City v Runcorn FC Halton - Saturday 11th December 2004
There was a distinct shortage of Christmas spirit on show at St George's Lane as a physical Runcorn side came within a few minutes of grabbing an undeserved point. To say that this game ended on a bitter note is an understatement, matters being made worse by as bad a referee as ever seen.
The first half was a forgettable affair but City took the lead soon after the break when MOTM Tom Warmer sent Leon Kelly through and he scored with a fine shot. Runcorn gabbed a unlikely equaliser as City fell asleep at a corner. This sparked a furious series of attacks by Worcester, most ending in crude challenges from the overstretched Runcorn defence. With the game entering stoppage time Tom Warmer burst down the left and crossed for the unmarked Les Hines to volley home. This sparked fierce protests with City fans behind the goal reporting to stewards that the Runcorn keeper had spat at them.
Worcester City v Prescot Cables - Saturday 27th November 2004
Worcester entertained Prescot Cables in this FA Trophy Second Round tie at St George's Lane.
A highly competitive game saw Worcester just edge past a very lively young team from Lancashire. Two second half goals from Leon Kelly settled the matter but City have James Coates to thank for four excellent saves. Worcester had the ball in the net early on but it was clearly offside. City had plenty of other chances but in the end it was the two strikes from Kelly that made the difference.
Bromsgrove Rovers v Worcester City - Tuesday 23rd November 2004
It was nice to be able to pay another visit to Bromsgrove even it was only a minor cup tie in the Worcestershire Senior Cup.
Both sides had one eye on forthcoming FA Trophy ties but it was Bromsgrove who came out on top winning by 3 goals to 1. James Smith scored for Worcester.
Worcester City v Altrincham - Saturday 30th October 2004
This was a game with just about everything thrown in - including the good, the bad and the downright ugly and the very very sad. At the end of it came a most welcome three points for the home team.
Although quite how the Robins managed to lose from a seemingly unassailable half time position will remain one of the great mysteries of football.
The game opened well for City who were easily able to cut through the Alty defence only to send in a string of crosses that were nowhere near the strikers.
The game turned ugly mid way through the half when City were awarded a free kick for a foul on the half way line. A quite pointless fracas ensured that saw City awarded a free kick and John Snape awarded first use of the showers.
A bleak situation turned desperate when Altrincham took the lead just before half time.
Altrincham dominated the next half hour, creating and missing a string of chances. City use all three substitutes including Tom Warmer. He made an immediate impact on the game as the City midfield took control allowing Adam Webster to join Mark Owen at the front.
Webster's shot produced a superb save from the Robins keeper, but goal poacher Owen pounced on the loose ball to equalise.
The crowd were still rubbing their eyes in disbelief when Owen stormed through the middle to shoot past a helpless keeper as the Altrincham defence disappeared.
City battened down the hatches as a furious all out assault developed on the City goal, but a mixture of good luck, good defending and a superb goalkeeper saw City just hold out.
Sadly, one of the Worcester City's stewards collapsed during the first half and passed way shortly afterwards. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. Andrew Smith
Ashton United v Worcester City - Saturday 18th September 2004
After battling through heavy rain and traffic the delighful Ashton ground was bathed in sunshine for this game. Alas, the sun did not shine on City who were denied a deserved equaliser after a dreadfulblunder by the match officials, who perhaps alone amongst the meagre crowd failed to spot an Ashton defender blatantly use his hand to scoop a goalbound shot off the line. On such errors are games won and lost and so it proved to be.
Runcorn FC Halton v Worcester City - Saturday 4th September 2004
A nice sunny day and an excellent stadium. Shame so few Runcorn supporters seem to support their team nowadays. Runcorn started well by running up a 2 - 0 lead instead the first quarter of the game. Worcester hit back with an Adam Webster header before half time and levelled just after the start of the second half with a Leon Kelly goal.
Worcester City v Moor Green - Monday 24th August 2004
The return of Darren Middleton to the Lane but now wearing the No.8 shirt for the Moors and predictably enough he opened the scoring with a superb strike after being put clear of a static defence. In reality city should have been long gone and out of sight by this time with shots being saved, cleared off the line and rebounding from the woodwork. City though did fight back with two goals before half time by Adam Webster plus Leon Kelly and Barry Woolley in the second half.
Worcester v Sutton Coldfield Town - Saturday 6th August 2004
Worcestershre Senior Cup Final
This was the first game of the 2004-5 season. Sutton led 2-1 from the first leg (played in 2003-4). City had taken a 2 goal lead by early in the second half but Sutton fought back to equalise (and thus lead 3-2 on aggregate). With seconds only remaining Worcester scored to send the game into extra time. Sutton scored in extra time to win the cup.
ARCHIVED 5/9/2013