WINNING matches from commanding positions has been one of Worcester City's failings this season.

It is a subject player-manager Andy Preece has cited as his chief frustration in recent weeks, particularly in the wake of their FA Cup fourth qualifying round exit.

Nationwide North defeats at Hucknall and Vauxhall Motors have also sat uncomfortably with the City boss.

And, but for the injury-time intervention of the woodwork in Saturday's 0-0 draw at Hyde United, Preece would once again have been left wondering where it all went wrong.

Gareth Seddon, who almost became a Worcester player in the summer, found himself well placed in the six-yard box but managed to hit the foot of the post with Danny McDonnell sprawling.

If ever there was a wake-up call for City to take their chances, that was it.

Craig Wilding, Chris Smith and Mark Danks all spurned good opportunities to wrap up three much-needed points in a contest City dominated throughout.

The visitors played some good football, passed the ball with confidence and made Hyde look very ordinary at times.

But, having continually failed to find the target, all of their hard work could have been cruelly punished by Seddon.

On the pitch where Manchester United play their reserve team games, City's early season away form appeared to return as they kept their first clean sheet since the 1-0 Nationwide North win at Workington on September 1.

Despite arriving less than an hour before kick-off due to delays on the M6, City remained focused on putting the Basingstoke loss behind them.

The visitors, who shipped four at Ewen Fields last season, enjoyed the better of a largely uneventful first 45 minutes although Wilding did head wide from a 32nd-minute corner and then over the crossbar 11 minutes later.

Justin Thompson's deflected header wide of goal two minutes after the break sparked City's second-half dominance.

Wilding then curled an exquisite right-footed effort just over the angle of post and bar and George Clegg headed narrowly wide after a weak defensive clearance.

Danks kept the pressure up with City's third effort in four minutes as he forced Hyde 'keeper Craig Dootson to gather his fierce drive at the second attempt.

Hyde's best opportunities were restricted to scraps on the break, Seddon bringing a good block out of McDonnell on 63 minutes and Dale Johnson fluffing his lines inside the penalty area three minutes later.

Preece's men were unperturbed as they continued to dominate possession while introducing Abderrahman Traore to the action.

Wilding again went close, this time forcing Dootson to expertly tip his acrobatic effort over for a corner with nine minutes remaining.

Nick Colley shot wide when well placed two minutes later in his last contribution before being replaced by Chris Cornes.

Chris Smith, who missed a glorious chance to head City level late on against Basingstoke, saw his luck desert him again on 88 minutes when he nodded Clegg's cross over the top. By now, you knew it wasn't going to be City's day in front of goal.

And how relieved all concerned must have been when former Bury striker Seddon squandered arguably the best chance of the whole game in the closing stages.

City: McDonnell, Ward, Burley, Smith, Thompson, Lyttle, Warmer, Colley (Cornes 83), Danks (Traore 66), Wilding, Clegg. Subs not used: Hodnett, Preece, Khan.

Attendance: 401.