City show Hart in First Leg Win

Match Report by Lewis Howarth

A cold Tuesday night in Malvern saw City host Roman Glass St George in the first leg of the Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup Final with 452 supporters in attendance. The game started off thick and fast in true cup final fashion. Roman Glass St George had an early attempt at goal forcing Haydn Whitcombe into making an early save. After four minutes City had their first chance with skipper Adam Mace whipping in a cross for Dylan Hart, whose attempt went just over the bar.

After 14 minutes City thought they had their opener with Dylan Hart having his one-on-one attempt cleared off the line. But after 19 minutes City had their opener with Dylan Hart chasing a long ball from Adam Mace, beating the keeper to the ball and flicking it over his head to open the scoring.

In the 32nd minute Kyle Belmonte had an ambitious effort from inside his own half go just over the bar afterr attempting to catch the keeper off his line, and in the 42nd minute Calvin Dinsley picked out Liam Lockett from a quickly taken free kick, forcing the keeper to make a save. This was the final attempt of the first half ensuring City went into the half-time break 1-0 up.

The second half started slowly with the first notable chance coming from Kyle Belmonte who once again shot from the halfway line in his second attempt in trying to catch the keeper offside, this time forcing him to make a save with a left footed attempt.

In the 57th minute a mistake from a Roman Glass St George defender allowed Izak Reid to run past the keeper and pick out Liam Lockett who saw his effort blocked for a corner. City made the most of this, with Lockett's corner finding Dylan Hart who headed home for his second of the match. However, Roman Glass St George refused to back down, and in the 67th minute they got their reward with a brilliant run from striker Shea Mannings, who saw his goal-bound effort blocked and the ball fell to Alfie Cummings, who scored his first ever goal for the club. Roman Glass St George piled on the pressure late on with Charlie Saunders smashing the bar with a header in the 84th minute.

However, Worcester worked hard and held on to ensure they go into the away leg with a 2-1 advantage, and the final next Wednesday. Another win for City, their sixteenth in a row in all competitions as they extend their new club record, and now turn their attention to Hereford Pegasus on Saturday in the Hellenic Premier Division.