TROUBLED Worcester City are on the hunt for their fourth new manager of the campaign after both halves of the club’s management duo departed within 12 hours of each other.
Stewart Watkins will take again charge of first team affairs on an interim basis over the coming weeks supported by his reserve team assistant Graham Glenister following the departure of both Keenen Meakin-Richards and Graham Deakin.
Deakin took sole charge on Tuesday (October 18) morning following the departure of Keenen Meakin-Richards after just four games due to personal reasons.
Club chiefs revealed the move came following talks on Monday (October 17) as the former Hednesford Town boss decide to take time away from the game to ‘concentrate on his personal life’.
But a humiliating 3-0 Worcestershire Senior Cup defeat at Droitwich Spa proved to be Deakin’s only match in charge as he was ‘relieved of his duties’ around 12 hours after being appointed.
Saturday’s 3-0 reverse to local rivals Stourport Swifts proved to the final game for the joint managers in a defeat which leaves City 18th in the Midland Premier Division.
A three-goal second-half burst, with a flying header from Lee Chilton and two from Cain Smith, were enough to sink the visitors and give Swifts a league double to move them back up to third in the table.
City welcome UCL Premier Division South side Wellingborough Town to Claines Lane in the first round of the FA Vase on Saturday (October 22), kick-off 3pm.
Malvern Town will look to make it nine straight league wins on Saturday when they travel to mid-table Wantage Town (kick off 3pm).
A second-half goal from Sam Judge was enough as the Hillsiders beat a determined Royal Wootton Bassett Town 1-0.
Town sit top of the Hellenic League Premier with ten wins from their first 13 games, ten points ahead of Worcester Raiders who have two games in hand.
Raiders continued their good recent form with an injury-time turnaround to pick up all three points at ‘home’ to Wantage Town at the weekend.
With Raiders still without a permanent home following the closure of Sixways, the game at Redditch United’s Trico Stadium looked to be heading in favour of the visitors.
A penalty in the 90th minute from Jordan Murphy brought the sides level before Louis Monaghan secured the points with a winner three minutes into added time.
Raiders return to action on October 29 with a trip to Shrivenham (kick-off 3pm).