A YOUTHFUL Worcester City side missed out on the chance to reach the Worcestershire Senior Cup final when they went down 2-0 to Redditch United last night (Tuesday).
Second half goals from Omari Sterling-James and a stunning effort from former City player Ashley Sammons secured the hosts passage into the final, where they will face Evesham United.
Academy manager Mark Owen took temporary charge of a team which featured no fewer than eight changes to the starting XI that lost 2-1 at North Ferriby United with Callum Preston, Aaron Williams and Ethan Moore the only players to keep their place.
After a dull opening 15 minutes it was the visitors who started to grab a foothold in the game and patient build-up play from James Lemon, Moore and Jacob Hobbis created an opening for the former but his scuffed effort failed to trouble Bradley Catlow.
Moore was next to try his luck after Williams and Hobbis combined well on the bobbly Redditch pitch to release him in the area, however his drilled effort was straight at Catlow.
The hosts started to make their presence known after 30 minutes when Sammons free-kick hit the side-netting before Jermaine Hylton’s half volley went just wide with Preston scrambling across his goal.
Five minutes before the break the City keeper was forced into the first real save of the game when Sterling-James’ perfect cross found Jamie Molyneux but his powerful header was well tipped over.
United came out of the blocks quickest in the second period with Sammons going close on two occasions, however it was the Blue and Whites who should have taken the lead after 53 minutes when Hobbis somehow diverted Moore’s low cross over from just six yards out.
That miss proved costly for Worcester’s inexperienced side as ten minutes later Sammons fed the ball to Sterling-James who curled an effort from the outside of the box which bobbled in off Preston’s left-hand post.
The hosts had their tails up and should have doubled their lead when Hylton did all the hard work down the right-hand side, beat Stuart Whitehead and pulled back for Molyneux who blazed well over the bar.
Sammons got the goal his performance deserved and put the game to bed after 70 minutes when he ran at the heart of the visiting back line and curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
It could have been worse for Owen’s men with Hylton having three good opportunities in the closing ten minutes, but he was unable to increase the scoreline and Redditch had to settle for the two-goal margin.
Despite the defeat, stand-in boss Owen spoke of his pride in his youngsters.
“I thought we did well,” he said. “For the first 40 minutes I thought we coped well with their threats. They came on strong and they showed what they are capable of doing at home and they caused us a few problems.
“To be honest I’m over the moon with them (academy players), it’s not as if they’ve just stepped up to the Midland Combination Prem, they’ve gone to a mid-table Southern Premier team and to be honest with a few older heads we’d have coped even better.
“They got a bit tired and switched off a few times but that’s what experience is all about and that’s how they’re going to learn from that, so next time they get an opportunity hopefully they’ll be better prepared.”
Jonny Bonell reporting from The Valley Stadium