Worcester City Unofficial Web Site

Andrew Smith

Worcester City F.C. Site

Welcome to my Worcester City Football Club web site

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2011/12 season

Worcester City v Histon - Monday 30th January 2012

There was plenty of action to keep the crowd warm on a bitterly cold night at St George's Lane with things made worse by Histon's late arrival at the Lane which delayed the kick off by thirty minutes. There was little to choose between the teams in an entertaining first half. City thought that they had taken the lead with a Mike Symons header from a free kick but this was ruled out for offside whilst Histon came close when the ball was hacked clear from close to the goal line.

Things burst into life straight from the restart as Histon hit the City bar and then gained a fortuitous penalty when a pile driver struck a City player and the referee, who had a poor night, gave a penalty. City's protests were waived away and the resulting spot kick was smashed home with aplomb. It should have been the signal for the visitors to slow the game down and consolidate their lead but instead they wilted under heavy City pressure. The visitors game went completely to pieces as their players, who already appeared to be in a bad mood, resorted to petulant and childish tantrums as City piled forward. The equalising goal, scored by Tom Thorley from the penalty spot, came after Gary Mills was brought down. It looked a soft penalty but balanced up the one given at the other end. Worse though for Histon as dissent lead to a second yellow for a Histon defender and the visitors were down to ten men.

Histon's challenge faded away amidst a flurry of fouls, time wasting and bookings and the game ended on a sour note when the Histon officials confronted the City bench after the final whistle. Good fun all round for a large crowd of 916.

Worcester City v Colwyn Bay - Saturday 14th January 2012

Things seem to be going from bad to worse as despite fielding three new players City turned in perhaps their worst performance of the season against Colwyn Bay. The visitors were well worth their half time lead and easily brushed aside a feeble attempt at a second half comeback. City managed just one meaningful attack in the whole game and this ended with Tom Thorley's shot flashing inches past the far post. With four defeats in a row any possibility of a play-off place now seems a distant dream.

Vauxhall Motors v Worcester City - Saturday 7th January 2012

2012 has started with somewhat of a flop as City slumped to their second defeat in a row, this time a narrow 3-2 loss at a windswept Vauxhall Motors ground. Few spectators braved the bitter wind but those present were treated to a wonderful game of football between two sites determined to win the game. Once again it was poor defending that cost City dear as both the first and third goals were gives from unforced errors.

One of the most comical own goals ever seen was to City's advantage as an attempted clearance rebounded from the backside of one of Vauxhall's central defender and flashed into the net at high speed. The same player nearly doubled his score minutes later but his header was a inch or two away from a second own goal. Before long though City got caught one the break and found themselves chasing the game once again.

The second half was almost one way traffic towards the home goal but another breakaway handed Vauxhall a third goal. Even at this score City far from out of the game and Symons reduced the arrears and in the final minute a wonder save denied City a deserved equaliser.

Gloucester City v Worcester City - Sunday 1st December 2012

Worcester's hopes of a quick fire double were dashed by three serious defensive blunders on a afternoon that the City goalkeeper, James Dormand, will want to forget. Worcester were well on top when he dropped the ball from a routine corner and allowed Edwards the easiest of goals. More bad defending this time on the left hand of the City defence handed Edwards a second goal before City had got their breath back. Mike Symonds got one back before the break to give Worcester fans hope for the second half. Worcester created and missed three good chances in the second half before a breakaway saw a tame looking shot slip through the keeper's hands to give Gloucester an unlikely 3-1 victory before a disappointing crowd of barely 800 - most of them from Worcester.

Worcester City v Gloucester City - Monday 26th December 2011

For once fine weather allowed the Boxing Day fixture to go ahead (unlike the previous two years) and the supporters were rewarded by a truly memorable afternoon. The best crowd of the season, 1,501, was present to witness a spectacular game between two sides determined to entertain and to win. It was Gloucester who took the lead with a superb goal from Edwards who stormed half the length of the pitch before rounding the City keeper to score from an acute angle. Worcester came straight back into it but Simon Brown's blockbuster rebounded to safety from the crossbar. City had other half chances in the first half but the Gloucester defence stood firm.

The game turned in Worcester's favour when Michael Taylor joined the attack mid-way through the second half. Taylor's pace and drive ran the visiting defence ragged and by dint of sheer determination he forced a rare error from the Gloucester defence before slotting the ball home from close range. His goal celebration was certainly worth the entrance fee alone. There was no way he was settling for just one goal and was on hand to drive through a tiring defence after being put in by a lovely pass from Mike Symonds. A desperate lunging tackle from behind sent him flying for the most obvious of penalties. Simon Brown stepped up to score with aplomb to send most of the crowd home with a spring in their step and a final score being Worcester City 2 Gloucester City 1.

Action in the Gloucester goal

The Gloucester keeper misjudges a corner and palms the ball back towards the goal but as City forced the ball home the referee blew up for a shirt pull.

Click here to view the winning goal (video by courtesy of Mark Smith)

Worcester City v Hyde F.C. - Saturday 3rd December 2011

This was certainly a game that those present at a cold and blustery St George's Lane will remember for a long time as City took on the league leaders. Goalkeeper James Dormand had picked up an injury and was replaced by Matt Sargeant. City started brightly and put the visitors defence under pressure without creating a clear cut opportunity. When Hyde finally got into the match they took the City defence apart with a sweeping move down the wing that ended with a fine low shot that crept into the corner of the City net. Undaunted by this setback City kept pressing forward.

An incident in the City box saw Martin Naylor and Chris Worsley of Hyde shown red cards for what seemed a fairly innocent bust-up. There was little time to draw breath with play flowing from end to end at lightning speed. City soon gained a penalty when Mike Symonds broke into the Hyde box and was hacked to the ground from behind. It was an obvious penalty and another chance for the referee to add a name to his book: in this case a yellow for Hyde's Josh Brizell. Tom Thorley coolly slotted home the spot kick. Hyde soon regained the lead with fine header for a corner.

Hyde seemed to be holding City at bay until the introduction of Michael Taylor and Matt Burley made a decisive impact. Burley bossing the midfield whilst Taylor's extra speed caused havoc in the Hyde defence. As City pressed forward the game took a dramatic twist as Symonds burst through the defence and was again scythed to the deck - surely it really should not be beyond the intelligence of defenders to realise that if they make desperate lunges at forwards sprinting into the box it is likely to be a penalty. Before Tom Thorley could take the penalty all hell broke loose with Hyde players and manager totally losing their composure. Another Hyde player, David Birch, and their manager were both dismissed the field of play before a cool penalty take brought the games level.

City dominated the rest of the game but time ran out before City could grab the winner to leave a final score of 2-2.

Worcester City v Harrogate Town - Saturday 26th November 2011

Worcester City bowed out of this season's F.A. Trophy competition after a below-par performance against determined opponents. From the moment that a defensive aberration by City's keeper, Jimmy Dormand, who came but did not claim a corner kick floated to the near post, allowed Paul Grayson a easy finish City were on the back foot. The forward line seemed strangely quiet rarely troubling the Harrogate defence. Indeed it was the visitors who twice had shots find the crossbar at the City end. As the game went on it became increasingly obvious that Harrogate would win, aided by some inept decisions made by a poor official. Overall though this was a game best forgotten.

Worcester City v Altrincham - Saturday 12th November 2011

Following a 4-1 drubbing at Droylsden in midweek, City fans could be forgiven for expecting the worst against their high-flying opponents. However it was Altrincham who went home nursing a headache after a comprehensive defeat. City were on top from the start and the danger signs were there for the visitors long before Simon Brown fired City into the lead from the penalty spot. The penalty had come about after Brown ran the ball into the box and was bundled over from behind. City never looked back and a sweeping move down the left wing ended with Simon Brown squaring the ball to the unmarked Tom Thorley who drilled the ball across the keeper and into the net.

Altrincham's triple substitution at half time, which seemed to owe more to desperation than tactics, failed to inspire a fightback, indeed if anything it was City who got better. Tom Thorley capped easily his best game of the season by smashing Luke Corbett's pinpoint cross into the net as City dominated possession with James Dormand's goal firmly protected behind a defence in top form. There was no way back for Altrincham as City ran out easy winners by three goals to nil before a good crowd of 842.

Apologies for the absence of a report from the Guiseley home match (2-2 draw) but normal service is now resumed.

Stalybridge Celtic v Worcester City - Saturday 29th October 2011

Stalybridge is a grim place at the best of times but on a dark and dismal autumn afternoon it really does take on the appearance of a grim place to visit. Even the new stands at Bower Fold do not brighten up a place seeming on the edge of the world raked by storm force winds direct off the moors. It was always going to be a game dictated by the elemental forces with both the slope and the wind on the favour of the league leaders in the first half. As to be expected from such a free-scoring attack Stalybridge ripped into the City defence from the start, but City were a tower of strength throwing up an impenetrable barrier which reduced the leaders to peppering the goal with long range and largely ineffective volleys. There was little chance of staying down the other end of the field for long as even the slightest touch by a defender sent the ball flying away from danger. It seemed that City would keep a clean sheet until half time but were undone by a superb flowing move down the right-hand side ending with a unstoppable close-range shot.

The second half belonged to City who kept the home team under pressure and penned down in their own half for long periods. Luck however did not look kindly on the City as all their pressure come to nought. Tom Thorley, a general in the midfield, saw his superb dipping shot clawed to safety by the goalkeeper's fingertips. Simon Brown's goalbound shot beat the keeper and was headed like an arrow for the bottom corner of the net when it hit a defender's leg and flew inches the wrong side of the goal. Nwadike then rose unchallenged at the far post but his header rattled the woodwork and was cleared. It seemed inevitable that City would score but instead they were caught out by the classic break-away goal. It came from a free-kick that should have been, but wasn't, awarded to City. Instead it was Stalybridge was took the kick and a fine header gave Stalybridge more breathing space.

Even so City continued to dominate and it was again Simon Brown who stuck the post with another header. Perhaps as well it did not go into the net because the linesman, who did not have a good game, had been caught out of position by the speed of the attack and erroneously flagged for offside. Finally Tom Thorley had a glorious chance from six yards out but was only able to help the ball over the bar to leave a final score of Stalybridge 2 City 0.

City v Harrogate Town - Saturday 22nd October 2011

There was a distinctly subdued atmosphere in the opening 45 minutes of City's first home game since the disappointing FA cup defeat at Godalming. Neither side showed much potential but it was City who took the lead with a route one attack from goalkeeper to Symonds to Corbett who drove the ball home in fine style.

City were asleep after the restart as Harrogate equalised inside a minute. City finally work up on the hour and retook the lead after desperate defending by the visitors saw the ball hit the bar twice in succession before falling to Symonds to net from two yards out. City's lead was again short-lived as more poor defending, this time from City, handed Harrogate the equaliser. It was end to end football from then on with chances falling to both teams. Lee Smith picked out Mike Symonds who burst through the defence only to be brought down by the keeper. It was a penalty and an obvious red card. With no keeper on the bench the No.1 shirt was taken the visiting captain and he produced a superb save to keep out Luke Corbett's penalty. City were not to be denied and sheer determination from Matt Burley was rewarded with a fine shot from just inside the box to give City a hard-earned 3-2 win.

City v Bishop's Stortford

Just one week after the bad loss to Guiseley,City have got back on track with two home wins. The first half very much belonged to the City who scored with another goal from the prolific Mike Symons and a penalty from Simon Brown. The second half though was all down to the visitors and their inability to get the ball into the net. City should have been out of sight in the first half but could easily have lost the game but for poor finishing. The one goal the visitors got was far too late to have any effect.

City v Solihull Moors

Just when supporters needed a boost following three heavy defeats the City delivered it in style. The first half belonged firmly to the home team who should have had the lead before Solihull had moved into top gear. The early chances went begging but City remained well in charge with Matt Burley and Simon Brown providing much needed width on the wings. What the game really needed was a goal going into the half time break and it came to City, not once but twice in the blink of an eye. Kevin O'Connor gleefully rammed home a fierce drive from the edge of the area and then Matt Birley slammed in a second with Solihull looking vainly for the offside flag.

The visitors came back strongly in the second half but found the City keeper in fine form with two first class saves. As the game wore on Solihull visibly tired and gaps appeared in their defence which Mike Symons gratefully accepted by running half the length of the pitch before slotting the ball home via the inside of the far post to send the home supporters away with a renewed confidence.

Altrincham v City

The final score of Alty 4 City 1 tells a true story of the balance of play in this game. City had a day to forget as they were pulled apart by a slick home side. The first half though was a very even affair and City looked comfortable until two duff decisions by the referee swung the balance. Firstly he awarded the Robins a free kick after Matt Burley had fairly won the ball. From the free kick Tom Thorley won the ball back and was flying forward towards the home goal when he was pole-axed to the ground. The referee who presumably did not have a good view of the incident played on and seconds later the ball was in the City net. It was rough justice and changed the style of play required by City in the second half. Alarmingly though time and again City's defence was ripped to shreds by a series of devastatingly ground passes. Three goals followed in a rapid sequence to leave the 25 or so visiting fans rubbing their eyes in disbelief. To their credit City did not give up and got some reward for the efforts when Mike Symons was floored in the box. He calmly put the spot kick away but it was scant consolation for what went before.

Kieran Mooney

I regret to advise the decease of long-term City supporter and helper, Koran Mooney. I couldn't understand why he was not at the game yesterday, but now we know. RIP (ACS).

City v Corby Town - Saturday 3rd September 2011

Although beaten by Corby, City were by no means outplayed against a very good visiting outfit. City contested every ball and kept going to the end but it always seemed as though the first goal would settle a close encounter. Corby's first goal was a superb header from a corner and was quickly followed by a second from a poorly defended free kick. City had chances to get back into the game wasting three good chances in the last quarter of an hour, none more so than a lame penalty kick that was easily saved by the Corby keeper.

So with one sixth of the season gone City have a good return of eleven points from seven points.

City v Nuneaton Town - Monday 29th August 2011

A battling performance by City saw them grab a late equaliser in a feisty Bank Holiday encounter at St George's Lane. The return of former City players Graham Ward and Danny Glover was always going to make for a lively afternoon and there were times when tempers flared and the match could have got out of control. Credit must therefore go to the referee whose faultless performance kept the lid on proceedings.

City were slow out of the blocks and it was no surprise when following several warning strikes the visitors took the lead after just eleven minutes. Jimmy Dormand kept out a blockbuster effort but was helpless to prevent the rebound from being slotted home to delight the visiting supporters who has the Canal End to themselves. City huffed and puffed but the attacks lacked momentum and what shots they had were mostly well off target.

The second half was a quite different game as City slipped into top gear. Like Halifax before them the visitors sat further and further back in defence using every opportunity to run down the clock. Danny Carey-Bertram, City's saviour against Halifax, headed over the bar when he really should have scored. City teams of the past would have few options on the bench but the team is much stronger this season and once again it was two adept substitutions that livened up the City. Matt Burley came on in midfield and took control of that part of the park whilst Michael Taylor added much needed bite up-front. Taylor looked to have scored with a superb ground shot but the Nuneaton keeper made a wonder save to turn the ball behind for a corner. Taylor though was not to be denied and as the clock ran out he was on hand to ram home a loose ball after the Nuneaton defence had failed to clear the ball to leave a final score of 1-1 before over 900 spectators.

City v FC Halifax Town - Saturday 20th August 2011

This highly entertaining game was also one of few chances with defences dominating throughout. Halifax drew first advantage with some sloppy defending involving several City players leading to a simple tap-in. The visitors failed to add to their advantage but they kept the referee busy with a string of robust challenges and pointless dissent that brought three bookings in the first half. Despite their domination of possession it was City who looked more likely to score, none more so than Luke Corbett who fluffed his lines when shooting weakly after being presented with an open goal chance. He nearly redeemed himself just before half time with a fierce close range shot that the visitors goalkeeper contrived to save the shot with his face and thus turned the ball onto the post. The rebound was sent goalwards but cleared off the line. The second half continued in much the same vein and stepped up a gear after Carl Heeley had thrown on Josh Emery, Marc McGregor and Danny Carey-Bertram. Halifax started to defend too far back in their own half and made the mistake of thinking they could run the clock out. A well struck free kick found McGregor who neatly chested the ball to Carey-Bertram who unleashed a pile-driver that flew into the net. City had further chances to win the game as Halifax ran out of steam but the score remained level to give both sides a point in front of over 900 fans.

City v Vauxhall Motors - Monday 15th August 2011

A healthy crowd of 620 supporters (an increase of over 100 on the last game of the 2010/11 season) turned up at St Georges Lane on a dull but dry night for the opening home league game of the season. Even though, following the defeat at Hyde on Saturday, this was only the second league game of the season fans were already muttering about the "must win" nature of a game between two teams whom the bookmakers suggest are likely relegation candidates. Out on the pitch though it looked a different proposition as there was skill and endeavour aplenty from the players, ever eager to cement a place in their respective teams.

City were quickly on the offensive launching swift attacks down both flanks, a rare event indeed to see a City team with width on both wings, and in Mike Symons they had an eager front-man to seek out. It was, though, Matt Burley who put the hosts ahead when a found acres of space inside the penalty area to accept a pass from Luke Corbett, before drilling a low shot into the net after only eight minutes. City has plenty more opportunities to increase their league as the visitors struggled to find momentum, but they were unlucky not to equalise when a fierce shot flew just wide of the City net. Vauxhall improved in the last ten minutes of the first half and the half time whistle brought little relief to a City defence that was becoming increasingly stretched. It needed a second goal to settle the nerves and it duly came after the City manager, Carl Heeley, had thrown Josh Emery into the fray. The injection of fresh legs had an instant impact as City started to dominate. Motors defender, Michael Jackson, was penalised for hand ball after throwing himself in the way of a goal-bound pile driver from the impressive Rob Elvins and City were awarded a penalty. After some debate Luke Corbett stepped up to power home the spot kick to leave a final score of City 2 Vauxhall Motors 0.