10:03pm Monday 15th February 2010
By Steve Carley
WORCESTER City suffered heartbreak with the last action of the game as Braintree Town stole victory in dramatic scenes at St George's Lane.
City looked to have earned a precious point after goals from Aaron Farrell and Josh Emery had put them ahead after Jacob Mingle had drawn first blood for the visitors.
But the Essex side were level through sub Craig Calver’s strike 14 minutes from time and took the points as, following a debatable free-kick which saw Mark Clyde booked, Sean Marks poun-ced to head home Brad Quinton’s free-kick four minutes into injury-time.
It was a sickener for Carl Heeley’s men who had provided the more potent attacking threat throughout and now find themselves just two points clear of third-bottom Lewes in Blue Square Sou- th having now played the same number of games.
Heeley kept faith with the team that fought back from 2-0 down to beat Woking 3-2 on Saturday, handing central midfielder Gary Walker his 100th appearance for the club, and they took the game to their play-off chasing visitors.
Only six minutes had elapsed when Rob Elvins went in late on Braintree captain Mark Jones, sparking a mini melee, and was shown yellow by referee Tim Wood.
Braintree made life worse for City by taking the lead six minutes later. Following a right-wing corner from Matt Game, Mingle was allowed time and space to fire beyond Jake Meredith.
Alfie Carter was the focal point of the majority of a purposeful City attack and his left-foot volley from 25 yards was excellently parried by Craig Holloway.
The hosts kept the momentum going and drew level in the 17th minute. Emery’s strike was deflected across the box and Farrell threw himself at the ball to head home.
Holloway again denied Carter soon after, this time from a stinging volley, moments before the City forward galloped on to Graham Ward’s punt forward, got clear of Joe Bruce but sliced his effort wide.
Braintree had both Marks and Tom Champion booked at the end of the first-half, the latter for leading with the elbow on Cheltenham Town midfield loanee Jack Durrant.
But the Braintree custodian could do little about City’s second goal four minutes after the re-start. Emery got on the end of a right-wing cross to crack a left-foot strike into the far corner.
City, who also had Walker booked, continued to show invention and guile but they conceded a goal out of the blue with 14 minutes left as Calver, who had only been on the pitch for eight minutes, fired home.
Braintree finished in the ascendancy and, after Meredith had saved from both Game and Marks in the closing stages, Marks pounced to break City hearts.
City: Meredith 6, Ward 7, Shabir 6, Durrant 7, Daniel 7, Clyde 8, Emery 8*, Walker 7, Elvins 7, Carter 8, Farrell (Davies 74) 7. Subs not used: Bridges, Wilding, Adaggio, Dinsmore.
Attendance: 525.
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