Dominant City win over promotion rivals

City recorded their eleventh win in a row in the Hellenic League with a 4-0 win over Royal Wootton Bassett Town on Saturday afternoon in front of a bumper 825 fans at Claines Lane.

Despite some nervous scenes pre-match over the condition of the pitch, the hard work of the WFA team during the week ensured that the match could go ahead in front of one of the biggest crowds of the season so far. One absentee, though, was City boss Chris Cornes, serving a touchline ban.

The visitors Royal Wootton Bassett came into the game on a six match winning run in all competitions, a record stretching back to early October, and a run that has seen them climb to third place in the league table.

There were no initial surprises in City’s line-up, with Dylan Hart returning to the starting eleven in place of Elliott Hartley from the midweek Worcestershire Senior Cup defeat to Droitwich Spa. Kyle Belmonte also returned to the side in place of Izak Reid, and Kirk Layton took his usual place alongside Elliott Keightley in City’s back line.

It was the visitors who started brightest in the early exchanges, a Bailey Gallagher effort from distance drawing a good save from Haydn Whitcombe in the opening minutes. It would be City thought who would grab the ascendancy on nine minutes. Kyle Belmonte won the ball back brilliantly in the middle of the field before sending the ball left to Liam Lockett. With a lot still to do, Lockett brought the ball infield from the left hand side, and looked to have scuffed his effort slightly as it headed towards the Wootton Basset goal, but his effort seemed to wrong-foot keeper Brown and sneak into the bottom corner. A perfect start for City.

A goal to the good, City began to control the tempo of the game, and their second goal of the game came from an exceptional team move from back to front. Liam Lockett picked the ball up on the left after exchanges between back four and midfield two, cutting inside to Belmonte, who found Stoddart on an overlapping run. His effort was well saved by Brown but the ball fall to Lockett, again cutting inside in the box and confidently firing the ball into the back of the net. Lockett and City’s second ensured the home side were in full control.

The lead could have been halved before half time though, when good work from Wootton Bassett’s Sam Packer led to him finding Bailey Gallagher unmarked in the box, but his effort on goal was miraculously saved one-handed by Whitcombe and clawed to safety. City had their number one to thank for heading into the break still two goals up.

Lockett almost secured a first half hat-trick when squared across the six yard box by Hart, but his effort was well saved by the feet of Brown.

Into the second half and City showed no sign of slowing down. Jamie Insall’s tireless work, who would prove to be a thorn in the visitors side all afternoon, saw the home side win a throw in deep in the opposition half. Liam Lockett received the ball to feet and passed inside to Belmonte, whose composed finish from outside the box tucked into the away net to put City three up with just over half an hour to play.

The pick of the goals though was still to come, and it would be that man Kyle Belmonte. After Elliott Hartley, a second half substitute, won a free kick near the half way line, Adam Mace played a quick free kick to Kyle inside the centre circle. Immediately turning and looking forward, almost with no hesitation he looked up and decided to lob the keeper from just inside the Wootton Bassett half, succeeding and seeing the ball land in the back of the net. An easy goal of the season contender, and Belmo’s second of the afternoon. Truly a goal worthy of Kyle’s sprint from halfway to celebrate with The Faithful behind the goal.

City’s Goal of the Month Winner for October, James Batchelor, almost put the cherry on top of the cake when he cut inside late on, but his left footed effort was just inches over the bar.

City’s win ensures they keep up the pressure on Corsham Town at the top of the Hellenic League, who took top spot in midweek by virtue of playing four more games. Their draw away at Longlevens though means that the gap at the top is just one point, with City’s upcoming games in hand looking likely to prove crucial in the title race.

Next up for Worcester is another home fixture, this time against Slimbridge next Saturday at Claines Lane. Following Saturday’s win, Cornes’ men have now won 11 league games in a row, and are just one win away from equalling the club record of 12 consecutive league wins set between March & April 1977.