WORCESTER City travel to Heanor Town this weekend looking to put a frustrating festive programme behind them.
City’s much-anticipated New Year’s Day return clash with landlords Bromsgrove Sporting fell victim to a waterlogged pitch.
The postponement meant City have played just two matches since November 25 and denied the Blue and Whites the chance to prove a point after the second-half collapse on Boxing Day against Sporting.
City had led 3-0 lead but a nightmare second half allowed their landlords a share of the spoils at the Victoria Ground.
With league leaders Coleshill Town drawing 2-2 with Coventry Sphinx earlier on Boxing Day, Sporting knew victory would send them top of the Midland League Premier Division. But a bumper Boxing Day crowd of 1,672 watched on as the Blue and Whites asserted their dominance on the game.
The first chance fell to City’s Lee Hughes after ten minutes but his volley flashed wide of the far post. But after David Reynolds won a corner, the resultant set-piece from Matt Birley was nodded home at the back post by an unmarked Jordan Stoddart to give City the lead after 15 minutes.
The lively Reynolds almost made it 2-0 midway after Sporting defender Guy Clark lost the ball in the area but the former Malvern Town hot-shot was denied by the foot of keeper Reece Francis.
Reynolds then threatened a second moments later but his effort from inside the area deflected behind off Liam Holt.
From the resulting corner, however, City doubled their advantage. After the ball made its way to the edge of the area, Hughes took the ball out wide and sent a delicious lob over the outstretched arm of Francis and into the far corner.
Just 29 seconds after the interval Hughes made it 3-0 and the game looked dead and buried but nobody could have predicted what was to come.
Goals from Richard Gregory and Jason Cowley gave Sporting hope and set up a tense finale with little over 20 minutes to go.
And the remarkable comeback was complete when Holt smashed home from the penalty spot on 78 minutes after he was fouled in the area by Stoddart.
Joint bosses Hughes and John Snape will be hoping for better from the conditions and their side with the trip to Derbyshire side Heanor (3pm).