City Seal Three Points Against 9-Man Swifts

Total Motion Midland Football League
Victoria Ground, Bromsgrove
27 August 2018

Match Report by: Krister Halvorsen

Worcester City returned to home Midland Football League action after the midweek skirmish with Coventry Sphinx - with a well deserved and efficient Derby performance against intracounty rivals Stourport Swifts in front of a Bank Holiday crowd of 460.

Worcester, whose manager John Snape was absent from the sidelines today, asserted their dominance from the start - controlling large parts of the game.

However - Swifts had the first real opportunity of the game, with Jim Hanson shooting over from distance after 6 minutes.

City regrouped after this chance, a 30-yard drive from Matt Birley bringing a full length save from Stourport keeper Dominic Richards on 11 minutes.

Dave Reynolds nearly broke the deadlock 5 minutes later - springing the Swifts offside trap. Dominic Richards once again came to the away team's aid by pulling off a save in the resultant one-on-one chance.

It wasn't too long afterwards that the Blues made the long awaited breakthrough. Tyler Weir bursting into the area, going down under a shoulder to shoulder challenge in the area, correctly waved away by Referee Paul Sparrow. Weir immediately picked himself up, sending a low ball across goal to the waiting Jordan Harrison who converted from 6 yards out for his first goal in a City jersey.

The other major incident of the first half saw Andy Gallinagh and ex-City player Mark Danks having to be separated and spoken to on half way by Referee Sparrow after getting into a confrontation with each other.

Stourport hit back in stoppage time - equalising just before the half with Jack Downing levelling matters.

Half Time - Worcester City 1-1 Stourport Swifts

Dave Reynolds restored the City advantage on 57 minutes, a low cross from the right was met by Reynolds at the near post. His deft side footed shot neatly sweeping past Richards in the Swifts goal.

67 minutes saw the first of the two red cards issued by Referee Sparrow. Umit Eminoglu, who had just come on as a sub literally a minute before, was sent to the stands (on the advice of the Assistant Referee) for a clumsy challenge which left Dave Reynolds on a heap in front of the two benches. This might well have been a record for the quickest sending off of a player in League history, barely a few seconds.

Liam Lockett and Jordan Harrison had a golden chance to extend the home lead on 78 minutes, a smart double save from Richards in the Stourport goal kept both out.

The last goal of the game, but not the last of the action, came 5 minutes before the final whistle. Substitute James Baldwin forcing the ball home from a yard out to make it 3-1 after an almighty game of pinball in the Stourport area. It looked from our vantage point that the ball had been cleared off the line by the Swifts defence - however the Assistant Referee stationed on the goal line raised his flag to indicate the ball had successfully crossed the line.

Four minutes into Stoppage Time came the final chapter in an absorbingly entertaining afternoon. Andy Nicol being dismissed for a horrendous challenge on Jordan Harrison in front of the main stand. Referee Sparrow did well to isolate Nicol from the incident and any reaction from the clearly angry City players and coaching staff before producing the red card from the back pocket.

City are next in League action on Saturday 1st September when they make the trip to Leicestershire and Butthole Lane, the home of Shepshed Dynamo - kickoff 3pm.

Worcester City 3-1 Stourport Swifts

Scorers:
1-0 - Jordan Harrison (Worcester City) – 18 minutes
1-1 - Jack Downing (Stourport Swifts) – 46 minutes
2-1 - Dave Reynolds (Worcester City) – 57 minutes
3-1 - James Baldwin (Worcester City) – 85 minutes

Cards

Yellow Cards:
Dave Reynolds (Worcester City)– 31 minutes
Jim Hanson (Stourport Swifts) – 41 minutes
Joe Billingham (Stourport Swifts) – 67 minutes

Red Cards:
Umit Eminoglu (Stourport Swifts) - 67 minutes
Andy Nicol (Stourport Swifts) - 94 minutes

Worcester City: Dan Jezeph, Tyler Weir (James Baldwin 63), Adam Osbourne (Liam Lockett 53), Andy Gallinagh, George Forsyth, Jordan Stoddart (c), Matt Birley, Joel Caines, Jordan Harrison, Dave Reynolds (Kyonn Evans 79), Chris Withington
Subs not used: Sean Dayus, Joe Bates

Stourport Swifts: Dominic Richards, Joe Hanson (Joe Billingham 49), Lewis Platt, Ben Priest, Shaun Griffiths, Jim Hanson, Malcolm Melvin (Umit Eminoglu 65), Mark Danks (Lewis McPike 65), Andy Nicol, Drew Canavan, Jack Downing
Subs not used: Ash Parsons, Olly Mulders

Referee: Paul Sparrow
Assistant Referees: Robert Osborne, Paul Rodway

Attendance: 460