Worcester City 0 Solihull Moors 1 (From Worcester News)

Worcester City 0 Solihull Moors 1

6:02pm Monday 30th August 2010

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By Steve Carley »

WORCESTER City saw their fine start to the season come to an end despite throwing everything except the kitchen sink at Solihull Moors.

Having gone behind to Ryan Beswick’s 33rd minute strike in a first-half controlled by the visitors, City toiled tirelessly in the second period but were unable to force an equaliser and stretch their unbeaten run to five games.

Danny Glover squandered two fine opportunities — one before Solihull had struck — while former Kidderminster Harriers keeper Jasbir Singh pulled off several good saves.

City’s second home defeat of the campaign was watched by a bumper bank holiday crowd of 886 but also marred by some blatant Solihull time-wasting, accounting for seven minutes of stoppage-time.

Carl Heeley’s team, unchanged from the 1-1 draw at Stafford Rangers on Saturday, were pegged back for much of the first-half as the visitors forced 10 corners.

Despite a bright start from the hosts, which saw Kevin O’Connor flash a drive wide from 20 yards, Tim Sandercombe was by far the busier of the two keepers.

He was thanking his good fortune in the 19th minute as, after getting a hand to Adam Cunnington’s strike, the ball spun free before clattering against the upright.

Solihull continued to crank up the pressure and it needed some last-ditch defending on several occasions from the hosts to keep the scoresheet blank.

However, having survived Solihull’s onslaught, City should have taken the lead just before the half-hour. Matt Birley curled a delightful pass from the left which evaded the visiting defence and ran perfectly for Glover but the striker contrived to plant the ball wide, much to the dismay of the home crowd.

But normal service was soon resumed and, following Sandercombe’s headed clearance on the edge of his area, Beswick lofted the ball just wide of the unguarded net.

When the goal arrived, it was no less than Bob Faulkner’s side deserved. City failed to clear their lines, Joel Grandison played in the unmarked Beswick on the right side of the box and he slotted the ball home.

It might have been worse for the hosts soon after but Tom Evans deflected Cunnington’s strike wide of the post and Sandercombe did well to get down low to push away Beswick’s strike.

City, though, were a different side after the break and started the second period with purpose. They caused havoc in the Solihull area soon after the re-start but nobody in a blue and white shirt could convert amid a mass of tangled bodies.

Glover missed another gilt-edge chance on 65 minutes, firing against the post with Singh advancing after Mark Danks had played him in.

Marc McGregor was introduced as a makeshift centre-half in place of Evans with 20 minutes left and also added extra power in attack as City sought an equaliser.

Tom Thorley sent a 25-yard free-kick straight into the arms of Singh on 80 minutes before the keeper superbly tipped Birley’s point-blank header over and McGregor nodded inches wide.

City: Sandercombe 7, Ward 7, Price 6, Thorley 6, Evans (McGregor 70, 6) 6, Clyde 7, Cartwright 7, O’Connor 8*, Danks 7, Glover 6, Birley 7. Subs not used: Richman, Walker, Polan, Wright.

Attendance: 886.

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