ADAM Mace scored a late stunner as Worcester City secured a narrow 1-0 win against Long Eaton United in their first home game of the New Year.
Mace lashed a shot into the top right corner from the edge of the penalty area on 79 minutes to settle the game at Claines Lane.
The result means Worcester sit third in the Northern Premier League Midlands table.
City almost broke the deadlock when Liam Lockett pounced on a slip from a Long Eaton player and passed inside to Felix Miles who saw his curling effort tipped over the crossbar by Lewis King.
At the other end, Evan Garnett lifted a shot onto the roof of the net when one-on-one with Haydn Whitcombe after City failed to deal with Jayden Cotterill’s long ball.
The home side responded with a chance of their own as the ball broke to Prince Henry in the box and the striker fired over the bar from 12-yards out.
The two teams continued to trade chances as James Taylor drilled a low shot inches past the post from just inside the penalty area.
After the break, Owen Betts shot over for Long Eaton while City failed to turn home Jordan Lymn’s dangerous low ball in from the right at the other end.
Long Eaton forced Whitcombe into a save soon after as the Worcester stopper kept out Liam Loughlan’s low shot from 20-yards out.
City thought they had taken the lead later in the half only for Miles to see his effort ruled out for offside.
However, Worcester broke the deadlock in style when Elliott Hartley passed to Mace and the City skipper fired an unstoppable shot into the right corner of the goal.
Long Eaton pressed for an equaliser as Whitcombe held Andrew Wright’s cross from the left.
And Whitcombe then punched Taylor’s deflected effort to safety before substitute James Shaw drilled a shot inches past the post from 20-yards out.
Taylor then sent a cross in from the right which clipped the top of the crossbar before Lockett curled a shot against the bar at the other end.
