A SECOND-half goal by George Williams handed Worcester City a hard-earned 1-0 victory at Evesham United in their latest pre-season friendly.

The unmarked Williams headed home Danny Jackman’s 65th-minute corner after Robins keeper Kevin Sawyer had moments earlier superbly saved from the former Kidderminster Harriers midfielder.

City manager Carl Heeley paraded a strong line-up and started with former Evesham keeper Nathan Vaughan between the sticks.

Vaughan was first in action at the Spiers and Hartwell Jubilee Stadium when saving at his near post from Evesham summer signing Ashley Edenborough.

City’s Tristan Dunkley, who caused problems with his pace throughout, shot across the face of goal as Heeley’s side responded.

The same player screwed his shot wide after a neat build-up with Mike Symons down the left.

Sawyer then held Symons’ flicked header beneath his bar as City kept up the pressure on the home side.

The woodwork denied centre-half Wayne Thomas when his fierce free-kick was touched onto the bar by the diving Sawyer and behind for a fruitless corner.

Evesham had penalty appeals turned down leading up to the interval when Sean Wood appeared to be upended in the box after racing onto Elliot Kennedy’s threaded pass down the middle.

United upped the tempo after half-time but City went on to score the only goal of the game 20 minutes into the second period.

The Evesham defence failed to pick up Williams, who glanced home Jackman’s flag-kick.

Another header, this time from Nick Wright, went close to increasing City’s lead as did strikes by substitutes David McDermott and Aaron Williams in quick succession.

Evesham, however, nearly levelled in the closing stages when Vaughan’s replacement Jose Veiga pushed aside Aaron Drake’s volley and then Kevin Slack blazed wildly over after Lance Smith had sprung City’s offside trap.

Evesham: Sawyer, Tambling, Binns, Wilson, Sysum, Dovey, Evans, Wood, Edenborough, Kennedy, Watts. Subs used: Sauntson, Wellon, Drake, Slack, Smith, Baldwin. Not used: Goddard, Saunders.

City: Vaughan, Weir, Gudger, Hutchison, Thomas, G Williams, Wright, Deeney, Symons, Jackman, Dunkley. Subs used: Veiga, McDermott, A Williams, Moore, Gater.

Attendance: 170.