Worcester City 1-2 Gloucester City
Vanarama Conference North
Jonny Bonell reports from Aggborough
Attendance: 583
IT IS now seven straight league wins for Gloucester City over rivals Worcester following their latest success at Aggborough tonight (Tuesday).
Goals from Femi Orenuga and Harry Williams secured a 2-1 win on the night and also confirmed The Tiger’s Conference North status for another season.
A Sean Geddes penalty had restored parity in the first half, but Worcester failed to take a host of opportunities which flew their way and are still searching for their first point against their Severn rivals since Boxing Day 2011.
Having been camped in their own half for the opening five minutes it was Gloucester who broke the deadlock after six minutes and it was no surprise to see former Worcester striker Nick Wright at the heart of it.
Wright received the ball on the edge of the box from Williams and turned well before feeding a neat pass into the path of the onrushing Orenuga who calmly slotted the ball past Nathan Vaughan into the far corner.
There was no lack of urgency or desire from the hosts and they responded well to going a goal down as Daniel Nti was unlucky to be off target with a spectacular bicycle kick and then the 13-goal striker leant back too far when he was put through on goal and skied his effort.
And the Blue and Whites’ pressure eventually told after 33 minutes when Geddes took aim from outside the box, Paul White beat away the initial effort but with Mike Symons set to reach the loose ball, Mike Green pulled him back and referee Daniel Meeson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Green was shown a yellow card for the foul and Geddes made things worse by making no mistake to smash home his 16th of a fruitful campaign.
Heeley said before the game it would be unacceptable for Gloucester to turn up and ‘want the game more’ and that certainly wasn’t the case as the half drew to a close as Jacob Rowe met a Geddes’ corner but his header was only denied by the woodwork.
Worcester started the second half in the same vein as they ended the first and were unlucky not to take the lead when Joao Sousa’s fierce drive flew past the post before Symons received a cross from the academy youngster but his shot on the turn went just wide.
The free-flowing football which has typified the hosts’ fine season was on show again after 69 minutes when Tyler Weir rolled the ball into Geddes in the box, his dummy allowed Symons to tee the ball back to substitute Tristian Dunkley who fire inches past the post.
But just two minutes later the visitors re-took the lead against the run of play and it was that man Wright again involved to haunt his former club when his deflected strike looped into the path of Williams who cushioned the ball past Vaughan.
Dunkley was causing all sorts of problems following his introduction and again flashed a drive marginally wide but it wasn’t to be for the hosts and Gloucester clung on to secure their status in the sixth tier of English football for another season.