WORCESTER City goalkeeper Sam Kane saved a first-half penalty in a goalless draw against struggling AFC Sudbury.
Kane denied Marcel Lewis from the penalty spot with neither side able to break the deadlock at Sixways Stadium.
The result means City sit 10th in the Southern League Premier Central table, eight points outside of the play-off places.
Worcester spurned a glorious chance to take the lead inside the first minute as Sudbury goalkeeper Jack Munson denied Charlie Lutz when one-on-one from Brandon Smalley’s through ball.
And Smalley then lashed a shot inches past the post from 25-yards out as the home side remained in the ascendancy.
Smalley remained in the thick of the action as Munson pushed his back-post header to safety from Josh Bailey’s cross.
Sudbury spurned a golden chance of their own at the other end when Mekhi McKenzie headed over the crossbar from six-yards out.
And the visitors won a penalty on 35 minutes as Luke Rowe brought Jacob Goredema down in the penalty area.
However, Kane came to Worcester’s rescue as he saved Lewis’s penalty diving to his right.
Sudbury had a goal disallowed on the stroke of half time when McKenzie finished past Kane only for the assistant referee’s flag to cut the celebrations short.
Worcester searched for the opener after the break as Munson pushed Harry Burns’ powerful effort from distance to safety.
And Connor Stanley then saw his effort at the back post hooked off the line by Sudbury’s Jake Turner following a free-kick from the right.
Sudbury almost snatched the points late on only for Kane to make a vital save and deny substitute Jack Stone from inside the box when one-on-one.
Worcester are next in action against Bromsgrove Sporting on Saturday, February 21 with kick-off at 3pm at the Victoria Ground.
