Saturday, November 2, 2002

IF Worcester City are to be serious Dr Martens Premier Division title contenders, then they can't afford to drop points in games like this.

The table-toppers would surely have expected to beat rock-bottom Ilkeston Town, who hadn't picked up a single point on their travels.

But football has a habit of upsetting the odds, and City's failings in front of goal let them down again as they were unable to break down a staunch Ilkeston defence in an embarrassing 0-0 draw.

City's fifth blank in their last six games has cut their lead to just one point over in-form Tamworth, who have a game in hand.

Not even a pleasing debut from winger Adam Wilde, their new £7,500 signing from Cambridge City, could lift the gloom at St George's Lane.

They're unlikely to stay top for much longer unless they can find somebody to put the ball in the net on a regular basis -- their goals for tally is still well short of what's required.

Defender Allan Davies admitted afterwards: "I think a draw was a fair result. There is not a great deal of difference between teams at the top and at the bottom.

"They have had a lift with the new manager which didn't help us, but we still have to go out and think we can get three points.

"You could see today that they haven't fought like that in the last four or five weeks. They have a lot of good non-league players in their team and we have to be on top of our game to beat sides like that.

"We are still disappointed that at certain times we gave the ball away when not under pressure, and that is where we have to be better. We have to keep hold of the ball, make teams chase and hopefully gaps will start to appear."

Davies shares the concern about City's lack of goals. "The statistics speak for themselves. We have got a slight problem there but you can't just blame the strikers for that - you have to look throughout the team."

Davies was, however, impressed by Wilde's debut performance. "I thought he did well. Anyone who has played against him knows he is a dangerous player, and he is a very good acquisition to the squad.

"He put some great crosses in during the second-half and on another day he could have scored with his shot."

Perhaps they were confused by Ilkeston wearing City's old change strip of dark blue and light blue quarters - the visitors had only brought their first-choice white shirts.

But the rock-bottom visitors, as so often happens, responded to their new management team of Charlie Bishop and John Knapper by rolling their sleeves up and putting in a bit of extra effort - and they deserved their point.

City were their usual solid self in defence, keeper Danny McDonnell not having a single serious effort to save, and they still have the best defensive record in the division.

But despite the promise of new boy Wilde who made some good crosses and almost marked his debut with a goal, City couldn't make any impression up front and couldn't get a proper grip on midfield, even though David Holmes, playing in a striker's role against his former club, had his moments.

Wilde had arguably City's two best chances in a drab match played in driving rain. Midway through the first half, Holmes headed down Adam Webster's cross and his fierce shot cannoned off defender Joe Atkinson and just wide of the far post.

Then late in the game as City made a last, desperate assault, Wilde got away on the left and another piledriver was well tipped over by Ilkeston 'keeper Matt Nurse, shortly after he had made an even better save when Paul Carty found himself in space.

Ilkeston's best two chances both fell to midfielder Ian Robinson either side of half-time - the first a long-range effort that flew inches over, and the second when he dragged an effort wide from 15 yards which he should have done better with.