Monday, January 1, 2001

IF every Worcester City game in the last year 2001 proves this good, the fans won't be complaining -- although it won't do manager John Barton's blood pressure any good!

City and Newport County served up an eight-goal thriller in atrocious conditions at St George's Lane yesterday.

Two goals up inside 11 minutes, City then proceeded to go 3-2 behind, but hit back to regain the lead before a bizarre goals earned Newport a 4-4 draw.

But after the excitement has worn off, the fact remains that City missed a golden opportunity to claw their way back into the Dr Martens League Premier Division title race, following defeat for leaders Burton and Ilkeston- and they were not happy at the manner of the goals conceded.

And their home form let them down yet again as they recorded their sixth draw in 11 attempts.

Defender Carl Heeley said afterwards: "You always look at your home record and think if it was better where would we be. But there is a fair way of the season to go and the sooner it can come together at home the better."

Of the game itself, he added: "It was a fair result and both sets of supporters have gone home relatively happy that they have seen an entertaining game.

"We are a bit disappointed that we haven't got three points, although as much as we could have won 4-3 or 5-4 won the game, we could easily have lost it.

"Every time both sides attacked they looked like scoring, and for a 20-minute spell after we went 2-0 up they were all over us.

"After they went 3-2 up we would probably have settled for a point at that time, but we came back into it well".

The match, which went ahead thanks to heroics by the groundstaff, attracted City's biggest crowd of the season, including a sizeable contingent from South Wales, and the two sides went full pelt at each other in very heavy conditions.

After four minutes, on-loan Allan Davies released the always lively Mike Wyatt on the right flank, and his low cross eluded keeper Pat Mountain at his near post and went in via defender Gary Kemp.

Seven minutes later Mark Owen was on hand to tap home the second after Heeley's header came back off the post.

They'd also gone two goals up early on in their previous match at Halesowen, but in-form Newport were a different proposition altogether and had created the better chances up to that point, with their pace on the break stretching City's defence to the limit.

They continued to press and on 31 minutes Gary Thorne headed home a right-wing free-kick.

Three minutes later a cross from the left picked out an unmarked Stuart James to slot in the equaliser.

Having been denied what looked like a penalty on the stroke of half-time when James' header appeared to hit Heeley's arm, Newport completed their comeback nine minutes into the second-half when Bradley Thomas got away down the right and the defence was again absent as Garry Shepherd crashed home a volley.

But the goals stung City, who had already had two efforts cleared off the line, back into action and five minutes later, the bustling Steve Lutz was brought down on the edge of the area and Ian Reed superbly curled the free-kick into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Within six more minutes City's comeback seemed complete when Davies released Wyatt down the right again, and his shot deflected kindly into the path of Owen who scored his second of the match and 22nd of the season.

Still Newport weren't finished and nine minutes from time an error from the usually reliable Danny McDonnell handed them an equaliser.

The City 'keeper failed to get a clean punch on a right-wing cross and the ball broke to James, whose shot looked to be covered by McDonnell only for it to hit substitute Carl Dale, who was lying on the floor, and squirm just out of his reach and in.