WHAT is it with Worcester City and late goals?

Craig Wilding's 89th-minute equaliser to earn Saturday's 2-2 draw with Hyde United at St George's Lane was the fourth such strike in the last six games.

Chris Smith headed home five minutes into injury-time to rescue a 3-3 draw at Hinckley United last Tuesday.

Two weeks before, the same player had netted on 92 minutes for a 2-1 win at Redditch, three days after Wilding had earned his side a point against Stalybridge, also in the 92nd minute.

Three of those goals, including both of Wilding's, have saved City from defeat but at such a critical stage of the season, with eight games left, City need to be securing victories, not salvaging draws.

The striker's 16th goal of the season followed a frenetic 60-second spell in the penalty area. Smith rattled the bar with a left-foot strike and Justin Thompson had the rebound blocked by Hyde goalkeeper Craig Dootson.

The ball then pinged around before Wilding, who minutes earlier had blazed over from six yards, drilled it home to send the crowd into raptures.

Until that point, Gareth Seddon's penalty 15 minutes from time looked to have won the contest after Des Lyttle's 20-yard bullet had cancelled out Lincoln Adams' opener.

However, Hyde almost won it in the third minute of injury time. Chris Cornes wasted a free-kick and while City appealed for encroachment substitute Paul Gedman chipped the ball over McDonnell but onto the bar.

Having eventually held Hinckley last week, City took to the field against their Manchester-based opponents with a renewed confidence and a belief they could land those vital three points.

Unchanged for the first time since January, Preece's men were in fine fettle during the first 45 minutes with Smith, Adam Webster and Cornes producing incisive passing from both flanks to create openings.

Webster and Smith had efforts blocked for corners and Dootson clawed Thomp-son's header from under the bar.

The best chances, though, came at the other end. Hyde captain Nathan Wharton brought a fine block from McDonnell with a close-range volley.

Seddon then had an effort held by McDonnell and drove wide within the space of 60 seconds.

Lyttle was also called on to clear Steve Pickford's lob off the line moments after McDonnell, who needed treatment earlier in the half, had smothered Gerry Harrison's shot.

Adams beat the offside trap to turn the ball past McDonnell for Hyde's opener within a minute of the re-start.

But the lead lasted just seven minutes as Webster cut the ball back to Lyttle on the edge of the penalty area and the skipper slammed it right-footed into the top corner.

Seddon fired inches wide before regaining the lead for the visitors on 75 minutes.

McDonnell flung himself at the feet of Harrison to deny a certain goal but Seddon's follow-up was blocked by Th-ompson's hand in the area and the striker beat McDonnell to his left with the spot kick.

That looked to be enough - until Wilding turned up trumps.

City: McDonnell, Ward, Khan, Smith, Thompson, Lyttle (Findlay 85), Pearce (Colley 54), Cornes, Webster, Wilding, Clegg. Subs not used: Warmer, Walker, Hodnett.

Attendance: 935.