A FRIENDLY by name but not by nature! That was Saturday's latest warm-up clash that proved a more than useful work-out for a Worcester City side including several trialists.

It was easy to see just why hosts Evesham United had earned a reputation for defensive stability and a goalless draw was a fair result on an afternoon when neither goalkeeper was seriously troubled.

Worcester's defenders were the busiest in an opening 45 minutes when the visitors were second best with Matty Hall proving a handful down the right and sending in numerous teasing centres that his team-mates were unable to get on the end of.

Assistant boss Paul West made a handful of changes at the break and the Robins were never the same threat, meaning it was City who could have snatched a winner.

Tempers flared on three occasions with United skipper Lee Knight the only one to see a yellow card after a scything challenge on George Clegg.

Knight and Graham Hyde were called together by Nuneaton referee Stuart Attwell after a second unsavoury incident involving at least half-a-dozen players just before the break.

Indiscipline, happily, took a back seat in a second period that did not match the first for the quality of play as Evesham made more changes and Andy Preece also took the chance to shuffle his pack.

United's Richard Robinson did get the ball in the back of Danny McDonnell's net after 54 minutes but the referee pulled up Steven Hands for a shove. Worcester came closest to grabbing the decider, but Jamie Lawrence diverted Liam Kelly's goal-bound shot for a corner and the home substitute then popped up on the line to head Danny Hodnett's effort clear.

Substitute Kelly saw a late header loop past the angle of Tim Clarke's goal that also had an escape earlier in the half when Barry Woolley could only slice a shot wide on the turn.

The latter was lucky when he miscued a clearance from Hall's 17th minute centre as the United flank man tore holes down Worcester's left side.

When a cross reached Richard Ball 10 minutes before half-time, the striker fired in a wayward effort, while at least Clegg and James Smith did hit the target at the other end, but Clarke saved easily.

McDonnell touched over Ball's 40th minute free-kick when the referee denied the hosts a corner and striker Jermaine Clarke only just failed to get on the end of Grant Pinkney's cross as City's right flank was also stretched.

Preece brought on a trio of replacements after 65 minutes, with Jai Stanley joining the fray 10 minutes later as the game inevitably lost its pattern and neither side was able to break the deadlock.

Kelly's arrival gave Evesham more to think about on an afternoon when both camps will have been happy with the outcome and relieved to have ended the match with 11 players.

Evesham: T Clarke, Hamilton, Watson, Knight, Pinkney, Hall, Blake, O'Toole, Duncan, Ball, J Clarke. Subs (used): Hands, Martin, Cooper, Robinson, Fitter, Lawrence.

City: McDonnell, Hubbell, Khan, Hodnett, Woolley, Warmer, Clegg, Hyde, Smith, Lee-Jones, Shepherd. Subs (used): McDonald, Warmer, Stanley, Colley.

Attendance: 209.