JORDAN Stoddart reckons a sense of injustice over losing at Bromsgrove Sporting is fuelling Worcester City’s unlikely late bid for promotion.

City succumbed to a late Jason Cowley strike in front of a packed Victoria Ground on April 10 with Sporting steamrollering their way to the Midland Football League title since.

That formed part of the blip which led to most giving up on City’s hopes but Saturday’s 3-0 win over rivals Highgate United followed by a 4-0 success against Rocester last night has blown open the race for second.

“After the Bromsgrove game we came together a lot more,” said Stoddart.

“We came out of it with nothing and felt we deserved more. That sparked something in a few people, we looked and realised they would probably win the league.

“They have now and we felt like that could have been us. A few missed chances, a couple of lucky goals, they were small margins that night.

“At the moment we’re just trying to get the best results we can for the rest of the season.

“Some matches haven’t gone our way at times but we all want to give it a big push right up until the end to at least put the pressure on. It is not out of reach.”

Rock-bottom Rocester did all they could to make life difficult for City in the first half with a series of half chances going begging.

The visitors threatened a shock when Martin Smyth’s rocket of a free-kick smacked the top of the bar before looping up and to safety eight minutes into the second half.

City’s breakthrough arrived in simple fashion four minutes later when Nick Turton flicked on for top scorer Dave Reynolds to lob keeper Richard Froggatt.

Alex Tomkinson rounded off a neat exchange with Reynolds, guiding a deft chip over Froggatt midway through the second half with Reynolds then powering in the third with a low shot across goal four minutes later.

Substitute James Baldwin cushioned in the fourth from a lofted Reynolds ball at the death to take full advantage of Highgate’s 3-1 defeat at Sporting Khalsa 24 hours earlier.

“Other results have been mentioned but it is not something we are focusing on,” added Stoddart.

“We need to think about our games and winning them, what they get up to is a matter for them.

“The belief is still there. We must have that and we are still there trying to give it a go every week.”

City: Przybek 5, Keasey 6, J Smith 6 (Birley, 56, 6), Stoddart 6, M Smith 6, Hayward 6, Danks 6 (Ambalu, 71, 5), Forsyth 8, Turton 6 (Baldwin, 77, 7), Reynolds 8*, Tomkinson 7. Unused subs: Gomes, Robinson.

Attendance: 203.