WORCESTER City manager Carl Heeley was forced to name himself on the bench as his injury-ravaged side lost 2-1 at Skrill Conference North leaders North Ferriby United.
The Blue and Whites went into Saturday’s (March 15) game missing five key players as youngsters James Lemon and Max Crisp joined Heeley among the substitutes.
On-loan goalkeeper Ryan Boot was injured, Aaron Brown and Aaron Farrell were both unavailable, Kristian Ramsey-Dickson left to join Stourbridge and Steve Leslie has emigrated to Australia.
A Nathan Jarman penalty and a Mark Gray finish, either side of Daniel Nti’s free-kick, ensured North Ferriby, who played more than half the game with ten men, held their position at the top of the league, with Heeley’s men in 17th.
Ethan Moore had the first opportunity of the game when Nti whipped in a cross for his strike-partner, his header looked destined for the bottom corner but Antoni Pecora got down to save well.
The hosts started to apply the pressure and debutant goalkeeper Callum Preston, joining from Birmingham City, kept his new side in the game when he tipped over a Jarman header.
Preston then had a moment to forget as he came and caught a corner, but without looking placed the ball on the edge of the box to kick it up field and Danny Clarke nipped in to take the ball around him before having his heels clipped and winning a penalty.
Jarman, who scored a hat-trick of penalties in his sides last outing against Gainsborough Trinity, stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick after 38 minutes.
The visitors received a boost five minutes later when Nti raced onto a Martin Devaney ball only to be brought down by Clarke just outside the box. The referee deemed it a professional foul and sent the Ferriby man off.
From the resulting free-kick, Nti stepped up and put his effort straight in the top corner, bagging his fourth goal in four games and his 14th of the season.
Worcester battled valiantly in the second period but with 17 minutes remaining the table-toppers grabbed all three points when Gray slammed home following a goalmouth scramble.
The game didn’t end without further incident as Moore headed a George Williams cross inches past just post before Nti’s attempted volley flew just over deep into stoppage time.
Manager Heeley said: “We pushed them all the way and they’re a good good side, they proved that when they went down to ten men.
“It was never going to be easy for us and they played incredibly well second half and you have to give them credit for that.
“I think it’s testament to how far we’ve come as a club because we’re slightly disappointed we’re not getting something at the league leader, so we’ve got to put it in perspective.”
Picture by Rob Bazley