ASSISTANT manager Ashley Vincent anticipates Worcester City signing a new goalkeeper in the coming week after confirming the departure of Lewis Gwilliams.

The ex-Alvechurch stopper agreed to join City last month but has since opted to return to former club Sutton Coldfield Town where he has featured during pre-season.

City ran the rule over Tamworth’s Dan Jezeph in Saturday’s 3-2 friendly defeat to Stratford Town having handed a chance to ex-Worcester custodian Matt Sargeant at Bewdley on Tuesday.

“Lewis played for Sutton in the past, they made him another offer and he decided to go back. He’s their player now,” said Vincent.

“Dan did himself plenty of favours on Saturday, playing very well for 60-odd minutes.

“I didn’t see Matt play but have been assured of his qualities at this level. I don’t know what his situation is with Alvechurch so we will have to wait to see.

“Matt Gwynne was probably disappointed not to play but any good team will need two goalkeepers throughout the season.

“I think there will definitely be another goalkeeper.”

Attacking midfielder Charlie Wilson, who scored within two minutes of coming on, and Kidderminster Harriers youngster Tom Smith were the other new trialists on show for City.

“Charlie was nice and neat in what would have been a tough game after being thrown in with a group of lads he did not know.

“He did himself no harm, even though we don’t know a great deal about him other than what we saw on Saturday.

“Tom was another that came in late, we got told about him on Thursday. I thought he was fantastic, the sort of player that gets you on the edge of your seat with some lovely touches.

“Once I speak to the manager I am sure we will look at both again.”

Joe Bates blasted City ahead after nine minutes with his rocket from Liam Lockett’s threaded pass seemingly flying through the gloves of Town keeper James Behan.


James Baldwin had a shot cleared off the line just before Callum Powell levelled with a mesmeric run and high shot inside the near post from close range a minute before the break.

There was still time for new signing Jordan Harrison to hit the post before the whistle having stretched to connect with Baldwin’s cross-shot.

Nabil Shariff put Stratford 2-1 up, crashing in a second header from a corner seven minutes after the restart.

Wilson’s goal arrived on 59 minutes with his looping header from a Lockett free-kick catching Behan in no-man’s land.


Chances came and went at both ends but ex-City striker Mike Taylor decided matters late on, slamming in Kieren Westwood’s low centre from eight yards.

“It was a fantastic game for a neutral,” said Vincent.

“We were slightly disappointed on the defensive side. We let them get behind us a bit too easily early on but that said, our football and attacking play was really good.

“We felt unfortunate to go in level at half-time with the chances we had. The flow of the game got interrupted through the changes in the second half, the football was not as good but we had to look at different players.

“The boys were disappointed to lose because we had targeted winning all of our games in pre-season but they performed exceptionally well.

“They came out of it with no knocks so it was a cracking work out and we wish Stratford all the best for their season.”

Meanwhile, Vincent confirmed defender Mark Smith had “been mentioned in discussions” and that talks were still ongoing through manager John Snape.

City: Jezeph (Gwynne, 68), English, J Smith, Forsyth, Stoddart, Willis, Bates (Wilson, 57), Lockett (Brett, 81), Evans (T Smith, 62), Harrison (Moran, 75), Baldwin (Wedderburn, 62). Unused sub: Mole.

Goal videos provided by Worcester City's Jack Hundley.