Tuesday, March 16, 2004

WORCESTER City's faint title hopes were effectively killed off last night as their unbeaten run came grinding to a halt.

Weymouth ran out 3-1 winners in an absorbing top-of-the-table clash at the Wessex Stadium but it proved a match too far for John Barton's City side as they suffered their first league defeat in 10 games.

The loss leaves them 13 points adrift of the Dr Martens Premier Division leaders Crawley Town who romped to a 6-1 win against Hednesford last night.

Two Luke Nightingale goals inside 15 minutes capped an impressive start by the Terras whose pace exposed City at the back.

Both goals owed much to defensive frailties which left Nightingale unmarked for the first from six yards on nine minutes, while City were caught out by a quickly-taken Lee Philpott free- kick on the right which was bundled in via Nightingale's knee.

Left-back Paul Carty endured a torrid night at the hands of the pacy Steve Tully. The veteran defender scythed down the wing-back to concede the free kick for the goal and later earned a yellow card for a gruesome challenge on the same player.

Matters went from bad to worse for Carty when he was dispossessed for the third on 58 minutes. From the ensuing break down the right by Tully, Terras' player/boss Steve Claridge fired home a third with three other players queuing up for a shot.

Worcester did have chances to get back into game and during a good 20 minute spell before the interval Adam Wilde spurned a great opportunity after losing his balance when through on goal.

Wilde eventually hit the target on 60 minutes following a mazy dribble which ended with a perfectly placed shot past a helpless keeper Jimmy Glass.

But while Wilde's pace and trickery allied to Leon Kelly's power were a constant threat to Weymouth, City's defensive shortcomings, highlighted by that lack of pace, ultimately proved their undoing.

Barton admitted afterwards: "I didn't think there was too much between the sides but the one aspect that changed the course of the game was the defensive side of it.

"We gave ourselves a mountain to climb," he said.

City: McDonnell 6, Davies 6, Carty 4 (Woolley 77), Holloway 7, Heeley 7, Snape 7, Stanley 5, Lyons 7, Webster 6 (Owen 68, 6), Kelly 7, H Wilde 8. Subs (not used): McDonald, Middleton, Hayes.

Attendance: 1,403.