Saturday, February 22, 2003

ALFRED Hitchcock may have been the master of suspense but Worcester City produced enough thrills and spills at Grantham Town to rival even Psycho.

Poor defending had gifted the Gingerbreads a two-goal lead inside 19 minutes but an undeterred Worcester rallied brilliantly to be back in front 3-2 by the 27th minute.

Even then City continued to set pulses racing no more so than when Mitch Counsell conceded a needless penalty only to be rescued by Danny McDonnell's expert save.

Instrumental in the fightback was Adam Webster who shrugged off pre-match fears about a groin strain with another peerless performance of front running.

Newcomer Counsell caught the eye and capped a towering display with a superbly taken winner.

There had been little inkling of what lay in store during the opening exchanges but two goals out of the blue from Stuart Wilson in the 10th and 19th minutes stunned John Barton's team who were desperate to not concede yet more ground in the Dr Martens Premier Division.

The goals had their roots in poor defending with Gary Bull given too much time to cross for the first and Mark Blount guilty of a poor clearance for the second.

But, in a match in which even the spectators needed to pause to catch breath, City were tossed a lifeline within three minutes of Wilson's second.

It came in bizarre circumstances and not from a visiting boot but the backside of the hapless Steve Wenlock.

The own goal owed much to the tenacity of Webster who pressurised Gowshall into a frantic clearance that only succeeded in striking Wenlock and rebounding past Mario Ziccardi in the Grantham goal.

Confidence bolstered, Worcester surged forward for an equaliser and with Adam Wilde and Paul Carty rampaging down the left it was a case of sooner rather than later.

It duly arrived within four minutes courtesy of Webster, who at full stretch poked a low cross from Wilde past Ziccardi at the near post for his 14th goal of the season.

With the adrenaline still pumping City went for the jugular and were ahead within 60 seconds of the re-start.

From midway in the Gingerbreads' half Wilde curled in an inviting ball which Counsell burst onto and steered past the advancing Ziccardi.

Counsell was at the thick end of all the first half action and along with Marc Burrow and Jon Holloway the trio patrolled the middle like a pack of snarling dogs harrying the Gingerbreads at every turn.

But it was the 20-year-old Counsell who had the defining moment with a scything tackle on Joby Gowshall which left the Grantham defender needing a stretcher.

Counsell was booked for his troubles but it was the kind of challenge that had Norman 'bite yer legs' Hunter been watching would have had the Leeds legend purring with admiration.

Counsell remains a man on a mission -- to earn a contract -- but his enthusiasm got the better of him with a rash push to concede a 38th minute penalty. Fortunately the ever-dependable McDonnell spared the new man's blushes when he dived low to his right to deny Dominic Hallows.

While Counsell was a study in commitment and effort, Webster's display was one of almost mind-boggling energy and running to the point of exhaustion.

The second half had the promise of more goals but none came despite several efforts from the visitors.

Wilde spurned two golden opportunities both engineered by Counsell, who in between flattening Jim Neil with another bone-crunching tackle, displayed some deft skill on the byeline to set up Wilde and then pick him out after a surging break.

On both occasions the England winger dragged his shots wide and he has now gone 10 games without a goal, but with Webster netting five in his last three games optimism is surging through the City ranks even if nerves are a little shot after Saturday's roller-coaster first half.

GOALSCORERS: Wilson 10 (1-0), Wilson 19 (2-0), Wenlock og 22 (2-1), Webster 26 (2-2), Counsell (2-3).

STAR PLAYER: Adam Webster.

BOOKINGS: Worcester: Burrow (foul), Counsell (foul).

ATTENDANCE: 372.

REFEREE: Mr A Dale (Doncaster).

WORCESTER: McDonnell 7, Davies 7, Carty 8 (Shail 90), Heeley 7, Blount 7, Holloway 8, Jones 6 (Middleton 75), Burrow 7, Webster 9, Counsell 9, Wilde 7. Subs not used: Smith, McDonald, Wyatt.

GRANTHAM: Ziccardi, Wenlock, Neil (Hawley 85), McDaid, Gowshall (Speed 36), Wilkins, Minett (Marshall 78), Bull, Wilson, Gilbert, Hallows. Subs not used: Dye, George.