Lockett rocket seals City derby win

Liam Lockett's superb early strike was all that separated the two sides in the first-ever Worcester derby on Wednesday evening.

There was a huge buzz pre-match as over 1,200 City fans in the away section, with many more expected to have nabbed seats in the Raiders end, packed into Sixways Stadium. This total attendance of 2,478 smashed the Hellenic League record which stood at around 1,300 for a fixture previously, meaning City fans alone likely beat that figure.

Pre-match, Chris Cornes made just one change to the starting line-up from the weekend's win over AFC Bridgnorth in the FA Vase. Izak Reid returned to the starting line-up, much to the delight of the away supporters, in place of the injured Dylan Hart. Logan Stoddart kept his place at right back to face his former club, and Jamie Insall led the line flanked by Reid, and Liam Lockett.

Raiders themselves chose to rotate their stating eleven from the weekend. Jade Ferron was elected to start ahead of club captain Sam Carey at right back, and Dean Waldron replaced ex-City man Jordan Stoddart in the centre of defence. Shay Willock partnered Rich Smith up front with another ex-City forward, Bailey Fuller, playing right wing in a 4-4-2.

City started the brighter of the two teams and it was early on when the games main action came. City kept the ball well in midfield following an Adam Mace throw-in, and his pass aimed for Reid was deflected by Raiders' Jack Cresswell into the feet of Lockett. He burst into midfield with three positive touches and unleashed a strike 30-yards out, which flew past Raiders' keeper Ryan Young and into the back of the net. It was just the start that City would have been hoping for, delivered in outstanding fashion.

Following the early goal, City were able to keep the ball and dominate the possession in a half that produced few other good chances. Raiders' striker Willock was forced off early on in the first half after breaking forward and aiming a cross into the City box, to be replaced by Joe Bates. The only real worry for City came when Thompson Brown was booked and sin binned just a few minutes before half time, supposedly for dissent, which meant that City would end the first, and start the second half with ten men.

Raiders made their second substitute of the game at half time, Vanylson Silva replacing Fuller. Again, City seemed to dominate possession but without creating any real clear-cut chances, until just after the hour. A fantastic break forward from Reid saw him dodge two Raiders tackles in the box and round goalkeeper Young, only to see his goal-bound effort cleared off the line slightly fortunately by defender Jamie Sauntson.

With around fifteen minutes to go both sides elected to make changes, Insall making way for Hussain for the City change and Carey replacing a carded Luke Gaffney for Raiders. Hussain himself created the best City chance of the remainder of the game, receiving a good ball into feet on the edge of the area after good work from Stoddart on the right wing, before cutting in on his left foot and forcing Young into a good save.

Despite possession dominance and limiting Raiders to only a few speculative efforts on goal, the home side created a chance to snatch a point in the dying moments of the game. Isaac Cooper was played in behind the City back line and charged down on goal, but Worcester's number one Haydn Whitcombe did brilliantly to make the save and secure three points.

Players and coaching staff from City headed across to the away section to celebrate with the fans after the game and show their appreciation to the fantastic travelling support from The Faithful, in scenes we likely haven't seen since Coventry in 2014.

The win sees City hop above Raiders into fifth place in the Hellenic League table, Raiders themselves sixth but on the same points after five games played each. The top eight in the table are currently separated by just three points at this early stage in the season, with Corsham Town topping the tree on 13 points.