Worcester City returned to winning ways after last weekend's defeat at AFC Wulfrunians with a 2-1 win over fellow promotion rivals Shifnal Town to go third in the Midland Football League Premier Division table.

Shifnal opened the scoring through Matthew Barnes-Homer but two goals in three first-half minutes from Bailey Fuller and Will Gibbons put City 2-1 ahead at the break.

The visitors pushed in the closing stages and Worcester had some last-ditch defending and the crossbar to thank as they clung on for the vital victory.

The result means City go two points behind second-placed Lichfield City with a game in hand ahead of their clash with Boldmere St Michaels on Saturday.

READ | City boss Harris "delighted" with attitude of his players after Shifnal win 

Having been beaten for the first time since October the weekend prior at AFC Wulfrunians, it was always going to be crucial for City to respond well but it was a sluggish opening 20 minutes from the hosts, who needed to go behind before they started to play.

Worcester were caught two-on-one at the back high up the pitch and Shifnal's Andre Brown played strike partner and captain Barnes-Homer through the middle before the big man slotted calmly past Adam Harrison.

But It was a strong response from Tim Harris' men who began to control the game and create chances, with midfield maestro James Douglas orchestrating things nicely from the middle of the park.

With half an hour played, a counter attack provided the equaliser as Reiss Taylor-Randle accelerated through midfield and chipped a lovely ball in behind the Shifnal back four for Bailey Fuller to run onto and curl into the top corner for his 13th of the season.

City had their tails up and just three minutes later they were ahead as striker Will Gibbons stole the ball of the centre-half before laying it to Taylor-Randle, who's curling effort was well saved by George Scott but Gibbons was there to bundle the ball home on the rebound.

Douglas then almost played in Fuller for a third but a timely last-ditch tackle prevented the winger from getting a shot off from inside the Shifnal box.

The second-half was less fluent and turned into a bit of a scrap but City did get another good opportunity on 56 minutes when the impressive Douglas played a great ball to left-back Sam Whitton but his shot went straight at the keeper.

As the game approached the final 20 minutes or so, the visitors finally began to create chances and they had a golden opportunity to level but Brown couldn't find the target with an unmarked header from six yards out.

City were rattled and that was emphasised when captain Aaron Roberts and Shifnal skipper Barnes-Homer got into an off-the-ball scuffle which saw both yellow carded.

The away side sensed there was something left in the game for them and with ten minutes to play they created two guilt-edged chances that should have seen them level.

First, Callum Graybrook beat City right-back Callum Debar to the byline before cutting it back to Brown who, with an open goal, couldn't find the back of the net as Whitton threw himself in front of it heroically to clear off the line.

The ball was then played back into the City box and Sean Jones clattered a header off the bar.

City boss Harris cut an animated figure on the touchline late on as his side just about clung on for a massive three points.