Saturday, January 3, 2004

A CONTROVERSIAL winner denied an injury and sickness ravaged City a deserved share of the spoils at Dover.

It was a shattering blow for John Barton's team who made light of their plight to produce arguably their best performance for months only to see it count for nothing but a second defeat in 48 hours.

The crucial moment arrived in the 51st minute when Tommy Tyne headed in a Mark Patterson volley from an offside position six yards from goal.

It unleashed furious protests from the City bench but it was only after the match that the scale of the injustice was revealed.

The officials admitted they gave the goal because they believed it had stemmed from Patterson's boot and that Tyne had not got a touch and was therefore not interfering with play.

Assistant manager Mick Tuohy described it as a 'criminal decision'.

"It was clearly headed in from an offside position, where the player was in between the posts, six yards out," said Tuohy.

"If that is not a position where it is not interfering with play then I'm not sure I know the rules.

"We are bitterly disappointed by a poor decision but unfortunately the linesman was very, very poor. These decisions make careers go one way or the other."

The furore overshadowed a revitalised display by City who had lost Darren Middleton and Chris Taylor to flu while Adam Webster succumbed to a calf strain.

It meant a league debut for Liam McDonald and the teenager was hugely promising alongside John Snape in central midfield.

McDonald's measured left foot saw a number of beautifully threaded passes and a stinging drive forced Dover keeper Paul Hyde to tip over a 25 yarder.

"Liam has been waiting for his chance and acquitted himself really well for a lad of 19 and everybody is really pleased for him," said Worcester's keeper Danny McDonnell.

"He used the ball well when he got it, got box to box and generally gave a good central midfield performance."

But McDonald was not alone in playing well with contributions from all over the pitch not least from Barry Woolley who was immense at the back.

The energetic manner in which City began the game on a difficult pitch paid dividends in the 13th minute when Mark Owen fired in his first goal in five games, created by Pat Lyons.

Owen had a real zest to his game and was unlucky with a solo effort turned out for a corner by Hyde.

Dover had chances notably Tyne flashing a shot just past the post while McDonnell reacted brilliantly to deny Jamie Day when he was clean through.

But if there is any doubt lady luck has given Barton a wide berth of late it came on the stroke of half time.

A silly free kick conceded near the byline was retaken and Andy Crofts rose unchallenged to head against the post and Carruthers rifled in the rebound.

Matters were compounded by Tyne's winning goal which for a time knocked City out of their stride and McDonnell brilliantly denied Carruthers again.

However Worcester stuck to their task, piled forward with Woolley pushed up front and in the end had two gilt-edged chances to snatch a point right at the death.

Firstly in the 92nd minute Adam Wilde lobbed Hyde only for Brown to clear off the line then a minute later Lyons was in space at the angle of the six yard but drove his shot wide.