TRIALIST Sam Minihan produced a man-of-the-match display to help Worcester City open pre-season with a 4-1 friendly triumph at Bishop's Cleeve.

His starring role caught the eye of joint manager Carl Heeley, who kept the ex-Rochdale defender, 21, on for 90 minutes as the only player to see out the entire match.

“It’s not so much about the result at this stage, more about the fitness,” Heeley said.

“But we did well all across the park and there were two or three trialists who have given us food for thought.

“I was really impressed with Sam, George Nash and young Kieran Morris.

“We have had George training with us in the past and Sam has a good pedigree — he was a pro at Rochdale and now plays at Loughborough University.

"He’s another who’s had a knock back and maybe just needs a chance to move on again in a similar mould to George Williams.

“We're looking at his versatility. Naturally he is a right-back but he can play as a central defender in a three or in the middle of the park. He acquitted himself very well.

“Kieran was a young pro at Brentford, who went out on loan to Stourbridge but that was curtailed with a hamstring injury. He is based in Hagley.”

City’s scoresheet had a ring of familiarity. Skipper Ellis Deeney's 26th-minute shot from just outside the area hit the upright before bouncing off luckless keeper Sam Gilder and rolling over the line.

Ten minutes later, Daniel Nti thundered a penalty into the roof of the net after he had been brought down.

Two more goals followed just before the interval with Jordan Stoddard turning a Kyle Haynes cross into his own net before Sean Geddes crashed in a 25-yard effort.

The Southern League hosts went ahead through Jordan Bryan’s low drive on 14 minutes and Jack Watts later fired a penalty over.

City changed their side after the break with the trialists including former Hereford United keeper Daniel Lloyd-Weston.