Tuesday, January 28, 2003

MITCH Counsell staked a claim for a starting role in Saturday's FA Trophy clash despite Worcester City's 2-1 defeat at Halesowen Town last night.

The midfielder was one of nine changes made by manager John Barton for the Worcestershire Senior Cup second round match and produced a solid display.

The 20-year-old linked up well with Marc Burrow in central midfield and with Jon Holloway suspended for the Margate game his tigerish tackling and mobility could be vital.

"Marc Burrow did well as did Mitch and both certainly are under consideration for Saturday," said Barton.

"We used the match to give Stewart Hadley, Mark Shail and Marc Burrow a run out, as well as to look at a couple of the youngsters like Dean Smith and Richard Tomkins.

"Although it was disappointing to lose a county cup match there were wider issues to look. The bigger picture is clearing for one or two and tonight doesn't look as though it has done them any favours.

"It was only Stewart's second game, which is always a tough one, and typically for us he picked up a slight abductor muscle strain so we took him off.

"But I think you can see the difference he can make when he is back to full fitness.

"I was disappointed in the manner in which we conceded the goals because that's one thing we have not been doing all season."

Hadley calmly slid home City's equaliser on the stroke of half-time after a good ball by Smith and should have added a second a minute later but shot weakly.

The Yeltz had taken the lead in the 13th minute with a Fraser McHugh free kick from wide on the left which flew past an unsighted Paul Wyatt into the bottom corner.

On a rain and wind-lashed night, playing any kind of football was difficult and that was reflected in little goalmouth action.

However Halesowen managed a winner through Kirk Master in the 50th minute when he wriggled through on the left and fired in a low shot which beat Wyatt at the near post.

Wyatt made a late double save to deny Leroy May with Carl Heeley clearing the striker's third effort off the line while David Holmes came close to forcing extra time when he had an effort cleared off the line in the dying minutes.

Worcester: Wyatt 5, Holloway 7, Carty 6, Jones 6, Shail 6 (Heeley 62, 6), Burrow 7, Smith 6, Counsell 8, Hadley 6 (Middleton 46, 5), Willetts 6, Tomkins 6 (Holmes 46, 6). Subs not used: McDonald, Hayes.

Attendance: 178.