STRIKE pair Lee Hughes and Tristian Dunkley scored the goals to secure an unlikely 2-0 victory for Worcester City in front of more than 3,500 vocal home fans at FC United of Manchester tonight.

Not even a red card for Hughes could deny City the points as their second-half rearguard display kept the hosts at bay and moved them up to 16th in Vanarama National League North.

After a lacklustre opening few minutes with chances at a premium, the game burst into life thanks to Hughes’ strike on 26 minutes.

When Dan Nti lifted the ball to the edge of the area, the ex-West Brom striker turned and rifled a shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

Spurred on, midfielder Danny Jackman tried his luck with a 25-yarder easily gathered by keeper Lewis King, while Nti put a six-yard header over following an Ellis Deeney free-kick.

At the other end, United skipper Jerome Wright caused problems but a fine block from Worcester defender Alex Gudger halted one promising move.

With four minutes of the half left, the visitors should have doubled their tally when Nti dragged the ball back and Shaun Harrad was denied a tap-in by Adam Thurston’s clearance off the line.

But City’s euphoria turned to despair a minute before the interval when Hughes reacted to a foul by grabbing Dean Stott around the throat, resulting in a red card for the striker.

The hosts made a storming start to the second-half with Wright running at the Worcester defence and letting fly with a shot that Gudger headed clear.

Five minutes in, Sean Cooke put an effort over after another driving run.

There was a brief respite for City’s defence when Nti broke into the area only to be denied by a timely Luke Ashworth challenge.

But the Manchester outfit continued to make their extra man count, creating the bulk of the chances.

On 65 minutes, keeper Nathan Vaughan gathered Sam Madeley’s low free-kick and ten minutes later the same player was denied by an excellent tackle from teenage defender Jamie Smith.

The visitors continued to frustrate, earning the jeers of the sizeable Broadhurst Park crowd in the process and a booking for Vaughan for time-wasting heightened their ire.

With 10 minutes to go, the keeper tipped a long-range Matthew Wolfenden effort over with centre-half Tom Sharpe heading the resulting corner clear.

Wright and Madeley sent efforts off target before, on 89 minutes, Deon Burton sent Dunkley racing down the left and his fellow substitute neatly stabbed the ball past keeper King to wrap up the win.

City: Vaughan 7, Weir 7, Smith 7, GUDGER 8, Sharpe 7, Jackman 6 (Dunkley 76), Nti 7, Deeney 7, Hughes 4, Geddes 6 (Gater 54, 6), Harrad 5 (Burton 63, 6). Subs not used: Morris, Severn.

Attendance: 3,619.