City 2 Harrogate 0

THE noose is most certainly tightening around the necks of Droylsden and Harrogate.

It simply could not have gone any better for Worcester City as they cranked the pressure on their play-off rivals. By 5pm on Easter Saturday, they were the only happy bunnies.

Strikes from Adam Webster and Mark Danks turned up the heat on Harrogate, who stand directly in City's path to pinching fifth place, while Droylsden crumbled 2-0 at Hucknall.

With a handful of games left, things are looking decidedly twitchy in Yorkshire and Tameside.

There was also more cause for celebration. Worksop and Vauxhall Motors should be in receipt of chocolate eggs from St George's Lane after despatching Kettering and Stalybridge, two other play-off contenders.

Today, City can narrow the deficit to just two points by beating the Bloods. Right now, who would back against them, given the extraordinary run of five consecutive away wins?

A recent question mark hanging over Andy Preece's men has been whether they could triumph at the Lane again.

During the last two months, their own pitch-battle has allowed Vauxhall, Redditch, Moor Green, Stalybridge and Alfreton to glean points.

But with appropriate Easter timing, City resurrected their desperate home form in style. Who says you cannot muster first-rate football on a third-world pitch?

Admittedly, adventurous Harrogate ensured an open, attractive contest, allowing City to exploit their attacking strengths. But the home side showed greater comfort on the dusty, crumbling surface than on previous occasions. Ball-players George Clegg and Jai Stanley were tremendous in their control and passing.

It was in midfield where City dominated the game, especially in a superb second-half.

With Adam Burley suspended, Dennis Pearce shifted to left wing-back and Shabir Khan returned to the centre for his first start in almost two months. Behind them, rookie goalkeeper Lewis Skyers enjoyed his first league clean-sheet, mostly down to his own sharp reflexes.

On two occasions, he produced agile saves to deny danger man Danny Holland, who was Town's best hope of scoring.

Holland took turns to tease Khan and Rob Warner before launching the game's first attempt on goal, a fierce dipping volley which Skyers tipped over one-handed.

Skyers received full applause and, moments later, the decibel noise increased as Webster fired City into an 18th minute lead.

Given too much time in the box, the striker dropped off Chris Mason's shoulder to lash home Des Lyttle's free-kick.

That was Webster's 24th goal of the season, nine in five games, and he almost made it 25 from Danks' low cross, but Mason raced back to hack clear inside the six-yard box.

Forever the tormentor, Danks was within a whisker just 30 seconds into the second-half. Bearing down on goal, his angled drive was palmed away superbly by Liam Sutcliffe and lunging Leigh Wood denied Clegg.

Town came back, Holland attempting two long-range efforts, while centre-back Mason poked wide after Skyers split Holland's hanging cross.

At the other end, Wood nipped ahead of Webster to flick behind Danks' wicked delivery, then Jamie Heard stabbed away Stanley's 25-yard blast.

Out of nowhere, though, City doubled their lead. More than 30-yards out, Danks showed great vision to see Sutcliffe off his line and beat the struggling goalkeeper with a clinical left-foot lob.

There was still time for the odd scare, Gareth Grant failing to put away another teasing by-line cross, then alert Skyers dived to his left to thwart Holland.

City: Skyers, Warner, Khan, Pea-rce, Smith, Lyttle, Stanley (Warmer 88), Colley, Danks (Wood 90), Webster (Preece 90), Clegg. Subs (not used): Walker, Watkins.

Attendance: 923.