Stubbon Saints deny City's first win

Despite dominating much of the game, Worcester City had to settle for a point as they were held to their fourth draw of the season at a sodden St James Park.

City couldn’t convert possession into goals despite the best efforts of Daniel Nti, Nick Wright and Wayne Thomas who all saw first half efforts from outside the area well saved by Brackley ‘keeper Dean Snedker.

Town ended the game with ten men after Eddie Odhiambo was dismissed for a second bookable offence after hacking down Ebby Nelson-Addy with five minutes remaining, after he had been booked earlier in the second half for dissent.

Brackley came close within the opening minute after an incisive ball from full-back Curtis McDonald was cleverly flicked by Ryan Rowe into the path of Mitchell Austin, whose snapshot was hacked wide.

The hosts missed another good chance three minutes later after a deep Greg Kaziboni cross was nodded back by Mulligan to Rowe, whose acrobatic overhead kick sailed over the bar.

But City began to find their feet in the game at the fifteen minute mark and, after neat interplay with Nick Wright, a powerful Nelson-Addy run culminated in a desperate block from Tom Sharpe to divert the midfielder’s shot wide.

City continued to build momentum and, with 20 minutes on the clock, a dangerous run from Daniel Nti saw the wide-man hammer a shot from distance that skipped up on the damp surface before being beaten away by Snedker.

City dominated much of the possession for the final 30 minutes of the half but failed to create many clear-cut chances, with the commanding Wayne Thomas testing Snedker with a first-time curler from outside the area that was easily claimed by the goalkeeper, before a well worked city move ended with Danny Jackman’s low, curling shot from the edge of the area being palmed wide by the Brackley ‘keeper.

At the beginning of the second half the hosts again started brightly and a last-ditch Graham Hutchinson tackle was needed to block from Mitchell Austin from inside the area.

City continued to dominate possession in the second half and threatened in the 56th minute after Jackman teed Symons on the edge of the area, but the target-man’s on-the-turn shot sailed over the bar, before Nick Wright fired over from inside the area five minutes later.
Despite being second-best for much of the half, Town came closest to breaking the deadlock with 67 minutes on the clock, with Mitchell Austin unleashing a fierce strike from inside the area that was beaten away by Vaughan.

City’s could not break down the hosts despite their territorial domination, with Graham Hutchinson’s offside header from a Danny Jackman free kick being tipped over by a smart Snedker save the closest City came to breaking the deadlock.

Things didn’t get any easier for Brackley after Eddie Odhiambo was dismissed for two bookable offences, following his booking on the hour-mark for dissent with a scything tackle on Nelson-Addy on the half-way line with just five minutes of time remaining.

City piled on the pressure in added time and their bombardment on the Town area nearly paid off after a deep Ellis Deeney cross found the towering Wayne Thomas, whose flick-on just evaded the lunging Nick Wright from inside the six-yard box before floating out for a goal kick.
City boss, Carl Heeley, believed that his side can take great encouragement from their start to the season.

“I can’t ask any more from the boys. I thought we absolutely battered them out of site. We’ve dominated, we’ve passed the ball well, we’ve created chances. I’ve lost count how many saves their ‘keepers pulled off. We can’t do any more than that. I can’t be critical of the boys, they’ve been outstanding".
“It is frustrating. We could be top of the league, it’s that close. We could be in the top two or three and we haven’t got our just rewards. If we keep playing like that there’s no question, someone’s going to get hammered one of these days.”

City will return to action on Saturday (3pm) as they take on North Ferriby United at Aggborough.

Attendance 290

Match Report by Alex Harris