Saturday, May 5, 2001

WORCESTER City finished a disappointing eighth in the Dr Martens League Premier Division after failing to halt their nightmare finish to the season.

A 2-0 defeat at Havant and Waterlooville on Saturday was their fifth straight defeat, and they failed to score in their last four.

John Barton's men finished a tantalysing three points off third place, which made their poor finish to the season all the more frustrating.

But Barton felt their final standing was a realistic one. He said: "At the end of the day your final league position tells a story, and that is about right over 42 games -- I haven't got any complaints about that."

Of Saturday's game, he said: "It was a poor performance. We didn't threaten their goalkeeper at all.

"We haven't been good enough and the suspicions I have had all season keep passing through my mind, and have done so on a regular basis ever since the home Fisher game."

City's season has gone downhill rapidly ever since their 4-0 win over Crawley in the first leg of the Dr Martens Cup final. They've not looked fully "up" for a league game since, and have looked well short, especially in attack. That was true on Saturday as they had just one shot on goal in a dull affair.

In the 27th minute winger Ian Reed, making a good impression in his first start since January, crossed from the left and Havant player-manager Liam Daish miscontrolled the ball -- some felt with his hand -- straight into the path of top scorer Mark Owen. But he wastefully shot straight at 'keeper Paul Nicholls.

Havant looked more threatening but City 'keeper Danny McDonnell made a fine double save early on to deny Neil Champion and Ben Price, while later he made another good stop from Jamie O'Rourke. Reed also cleared a Timmy Hambley header off the line.

But just when a stalemate looked likely, Havant struck with seven minutes left. City substitute Wesley Joyce was caught out near his own by-line and Price took advantage to cross for O'Rourke to head home.

Three minutes later Havant assured they would leap-frog City when James Taylor escaped his marker to nod in a cross from the left.

Worcester: *McDonnell 7, Carty 6, Tucker 6, Greenman 6, Weir 6, Heeley 6, Bradley 5 (Joyce 70, 5), Ellis 6, Owen 5, Lutz 5, Reed 6. Subs not used: Hyde, P. Wyatt.

Attendance: 317.