10:27pm Monday 1st March 2010
By Steve Carley
WORCESTER City picked up a crucial three points in their quest to survive in Blue Square South with victory over Maidenhead United at St George’s Lane.
Craig Wilding scored the decisive goal 12 minutes before the break tonight as City kept their first clean sheet in the league since December 28 in front of 501 fans — their lowest league gate of the season.
The result means Carl Heeley’s team leapfrog Hampton and Richmond, who visit the Lane on Saturday, into 18th place on goal difference but the Londoners have five games in hand.
City are now five points clear of third-from-bottom Lewes, who they drew 3-3 with at the weekend, having played two games more.
Heeley handed a debut to 20-year-old former Tranmere left winger Tom Beahon, who has been at the Glenn Hoddle Academy in Spain.
Beahon replaced the unavailable Alfie Carter, while February player-of-the-month Mark Clyde was rested because of his problematic knee.
Goalkeeper Danzelle St Louis-Hamilton, on loan from Stoke, made his home debut and looked much more assured than at Lewes, showing competent handling and kicking.
The game, preceded by a one-minute silence in memory of former Midland Combination secretary Les James, took a while to get going with neither side able to seize the initiative.
But City grew in confidence and dominated for large periods against a poor Magpies side.
With 12 minutes gone, Graham Ward sent over a free-kick and Rob Elvins’ header forced keeper Chris Tardif, whose only game as a Worcester player was in the same fixture last season, into a fine save.
City had a let-off moments later when captain Tom Kemp misjudged the bounce of the ball but then did enough to put Alex Wall off as he fired over.
The important goal arrived in the 33rd minute. After Ward’s corner was headed against the bar by Wayne Daniel, the full-back did well to keep the ball in and set up Wilding who made no mistake.
Maidenhead were put under pressure at the start of the second period but the end product was missing for City. Kemp was replaced by Matt Birley after being left dazed when the ball hit him in the face and, seconds later, Kieran Knight forced St Louis-Hamilton to block.
Home striker Matt Dinsmore had an effort headed off the line by Jack Bradshaw and was denied by Tardif.
City, who had Shabir Khan booked for time-wasting, became edgy late on and it needed last-ditch defending to ensure a valuable victory.
City: St Louis-Hamilton 7, Ward 7, Shabir 8*, Elvins 7, Daniel 7, Kemp 7 (Birley 69), Emery 7, Walker 7, Wilding 7, Dinsmore 8, Beahon 7. Subs not used: McGregor, Durrant, Adaggio, Meredith.
Attendance: 501.
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