Tuesday, January 11, 2000.

BOSS John Barton was full of praise for transfer-listed Paul Carty who cracked a dazzling winner for Worcester City in last night's 3-2 Dr Martens League Premier Division victory at high-riding Burton Albion.

"It was an outstanding goal," said the City boss who returned in triumph to the club his managed for four and a half years.

For Carty, who was recently on loan to Nuneaton Borough, it was his second goal in successive matches.

Barton, however, said that the striker remains on the transfer list, but was delighted with his match-winning efforts last night.

"I suppose the talk was of me going back, but I must admit it was all about us trying to get three points. That was the prime objective. It was a tremendous result."

The City boss had to ride a rollercoaster of emotions. Just when it seemed he would have to settle for a point, Carty plundered a magnificent 85th minute winner to shatter title-chasing Burton's unbeaten home record.

The midfielder more than made up for another demonstration of City's defensive frailty when he stole onto Bradley Sandeman's right-wing cross to angle a left-foot shot of power and precision into the far corner from 15 yards.

It was a stunning climax to a game which touched no great heights but made for compelling viewing as both teams contrived to produce a comedy of defensive errors.

Burton dominated the opening half hour only to find their 15-game unbeaten home run under serious threat as City broke free of their defensive shackles to turn their only two first-half chances into goals, courtesy of some shocking Burton defending.

Jon Purdie seized on a poor clearance by Michael Forsyth six minutes from the break and sent Mark Owen clear. Keeper Nick Goodwin managed to get his hands to the striker's shot but it was hit with enough power to carry the ball into the net.

Worse still for Goodwin and Burton was City's second goal gleefully accepted by Nathan Jukes a minute before the interval when Goodwin lost his footing as he attempted to make a routine clearance of Mark Blount's back pass.

All City had to do was to keep working hard and defend sensibly and a comfortable victory was theirs for the taking.

Instead, their own defensive vulnerability invited Burton to drag themselves off the floor with two goals early in the second half through Darren Stride and Andy Garner.

Burton now seemed to have victory in their grasp, City keeper Danny Watson doing well to finger-tip substitute David Holmes' fierce drive round a post.

But City mounted one last push of their own for victory and it paid a handsome dividend when Carty's magnificent shot clinched only their second away win of the season in the league.

City: Watson 5, Sandeman 7, Willetts 7, Tucker 6, Heeley 6, Carty 6, Knight 6, Jukes 6, Owen 8 (Bowen 82), Lutz 6, Purdie 6 (Deakin 74). Sub not used: Ross.

City star man: Mark Owen.

Attendence: 867.