Gainsborough Trinity 1 Worcester City 1

THE disappointment over pocketing a single point from Northolme speaks volumes for City’s progress.

On September 3, bottom-of-the-table Worcester battled back from two down with 10 men to salvage a draw at home to Gainsborough with progress a constant since.

And, although most aspects of City’s play in Lincolnshire were patchy, they weathered a couple of storms before controlling the final half-an-hour and dominating the dying stages.

The hit-and-miss nature of this display inevitably saw that flurry pass without City being fully rewarded but, with 21 points from 13 outings since that opening month from hell, Carl Heeley can tuck into his Christmas turkey confident of avoiding the National League North trapdoor in 2017.

Trinity made light of a scrappy start to seize the initiative with their first attack.

Wing-back Josh Lacey got the better of Cieron Keane early on and it told on 10 minutes when he curved a pass around the stranded Jordan Keane for Ashley Worsfold to guide under the advancing Ethan Ross.

For a brief spell, City were like rabbits in the headlights as the pesky Lacey galloped forward and picked out team-mates at will with Laurie Wilson firing a 20-yard shot narrowly wide.

Of greater concern was Worcester’s lack of attacking prowess but they discovered Gainsborough’s Achilles heel with their first surge forward when Cieron Keane’s high free-kick was nodded into the arms of George Willis all too easily by Graham Hutchinson.

And more panicked defending played its part in the equaliser with a Micah Evans corner flicked on for Steven Craig, lurking at the far post, to direct home his first City goal.

The hosts continued to press with Wilson’s snapshot from a bouncing ball repelled by Ross while Noel Burdett was prevented from pulling the trigger on the edge of the box by Danny Jackman’s full-stretch tackle.

Gainsborough should have retaken the lead seven minutes after the restart but, having set the wheels in motion with a delightful chest down to Worsfold, Jack McGovern thumped over the return from close range.

McGovern and Lacey combined for Worsfold to scuff into the hands of Ross but Worcester’s wobble didn’t last.

With greater composure came more possession and City flooded forward, albeit without finding a killer pass.

Jordan Keane set off on an unopposed run through the middle and played in Jordan Murphy but the striker shot at Willis when his colleague had advanced into a promising position hoping for the return.

Cieron Keane turned the tables on Lacey to fire in a low centre which substitute Lee Hughes diverted against the bar with eight minutes left.

Gainsborough threatened a sucker punch but Ioan Evans could only nod into Ross’ hands and City continued to threaten.

Jordan Keane had a shot blocked, Tyler Weir’s dinked ball was brushed away by Brad Beatson and Lee Hughes skied a 20-yard effort as the clock ran down but it was all in vain.