Worcester City 2-3 Nuneaton Town
Vanarama National League North
Rob George reports from the Victoria Ground
AFTER an awful August, Worcester City were denied a super September as Nuneaton came out on top in another five-goal thriller at the Victoria Ground.
The Blue and Whites are rivalling anything Simon Cowell or Strictly Come Dancing can offer in terms of entertainment on a Saturday and this clash of two in form teams didn’t flatter to deceive.
Carl Heeley made one change from Tuesday’s triumph over AFC Telford with Danny Jackman returning at the expense of Junior English as City sought a magnificent seven unbeaten games in September.
The visitors started brightly but City soon got a foothold in the game with the ever impressive Chekaine Steele offering huge threat going forward.
And it was the young winger’s efforts in the 19th minute which led to the first goal as his cross wasn’t dealt with by the Nuneaton defence.
The ball eventually came out to Ciaron Keane who fired low into the bottom corner to hand City a deserved lead.
City attacked with flair and imagination and finally forced referee Martin Woods to book left back Martin O’Hanlon after the full back made one foul too many.
The home side couldn’t find a way through and were made to pay on 34 minutes when Nuneaton set off a crazy five minutes of football which contained more action than some games get over 90 minutes.
A surging run from Nuneaton right back James Clifton saw him send a teasing cross over for midfielder Billy Daniels who found striker Elliott Whitehouse who had a simple tap in to make it 1-1.
Just 90 seconds later Nuneaton won a corner and awful defending from City saw Whitehouse left all alone for a free header to hand the visitors the lead.
And two minutes after going behind, City felt further aggrieved when Lee Hughes appeared to be bundled over in the box. Referee Mr Woods didn’t agree despite howls of protest but did see fit to run 30 yards to ask Heeley and first team coach John Snape to calm down, a request which further endeared him to the faithful.
The Blue and Whites refused to let their heads drop though and Jackman found Steele 90 seconds later who teed up Hughes on the edge of the area.
The prolific front-man turned inside and fired a low shot into the bottom corner to level the scores at the break.
O’Hanlon was substituted during half-time after walking a wafer thin line with referee Mr Woods which involved a yellow card, a warning then a warning with his captain when another yellow card could easily have been brandished.
City started the second half well but were undone on the hour when former St George’s Lane frontman Aaron Williams came back to haunt his former club with a free header from a corner to hand Nuneaton a lead they rarely looked like losing.
Very few clear cut chances were created after that although City sub Richard Batchelor could have secured a share of the spoils but his shot was cleared off the line with nine minutes remaining.
But in truth, City looked like a side which had played 14 games in just seven weeks since the start of the season and in need of a break.
All good things come to an end and City have certainly enjoyed a more positive second month of the campaign.
The faithful will be hoping a blank week for City will help them put Brackley to the sword in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Road next Saturday (October 1) at 3pm.