WORCESTER City were held to their first stalemate since Boxing Day following a 0-0 draw with Stockport County at Aggborough in the Skrill Conference North on Tuesday (March 25).
In a game of few chances former Everton striker and County captain Phil Jeavons struck the bar with Daniel Nti and Martin Devaney both going close for the hosts.
The result see’s Worcester drop down to 15th in the league but extend their gap above the drop zone to 12 points following the other nights’ results.
The hosts started high in confidence and Devaney had the first sighting of goal after just three minutes when Ethan Moore teed up the winger but his deflected effort bounced just wide.
County carved open their first opportunity of the game 12 minutes later when the lively Adriano Moke beat Tyler Weir down the right hand side and pulled the ball back to Nicky Platt whose driven shot was always curling away from the far post.
Carl Heeley’s men should have taken the lead after 22 minutes when Ellis Deeney whipped in a perfect corner towards the head of Nti but City’s top scorer failed to make solid contact from six-yards out and it was glanced agonisingly wide.
Moke was at the heart of everything good going forward for the visitors and the winger again turned Weir down the right before unleashing a cross-come-shot which deflected off the full-back and flashed past the upright.
The woodwork came to Worcester’s rescue five minutes before the break after Graham Hutchison brought down Moke on the edge of the box, 17-goal hit-man Jeavons stepped up and crashed his free-kick off the crossbar.
Worcester started the second period much in the same vein as the first 45 with Aaron Brown’s effort blocked well by a resolute Stockport defence before Moore’s tame strike from the edge of the box was comfortably saved by Ian Ormson.
It was that man Moke who once again proved the live-wire for The Hatters when he raced onto a long ball over the top and burst towards the City goal but his 20-yarder flew just wide.
Devaney, re-called to Heeley’s starting XI for the game, was inches away from opening the scoring on two separate occasions as he firstly tried a Beckham-esque chip from the halfway line which was just tipped over the bar and five minutes later he burst into the box latching on to a Brown flick on and smashed his half volley past the post.
The hosts threw everything at their opponents in the closing stages with Brown, Aaron Williams and Weir all going close but it wasn’t to be as Worcester had to settle for a point.
Manager Heeley said: “It’s probably the right result over all, they dominated possession in the first half, they hit the crossbar and had another good chance.
“That said, all the best chances in the game fell to us. It’s a real big effort, Stockport had an extra days rest and they’re full-time.
“For us to play Sunday and Tuesday it’s hard on the legs and I thought that showed in the first half, but credit to the boys second half I thought we were the stronger side and if anyone looked like winning it was us.”