Nti brace bags City's first home points

A Danny Nti brace was enough to ensure Worcester City clinched a point against Skrill North leaders Hednesford Town.
City took an early lead through Daniel Nti, but newly-promoted Hednesford hit back with Wayne Riley and an Elliot Durrell penalty, before Nti equalised midway through the second half to steal a point for the home side, as he bagged his first goals in a City shirt.

City came into the game in high spirits following their first point of the season away at unbeaten Brackley Town on Saturday. Daniel Nti returned to the starting line-up after recovering from his opening day injury, and made a massive difference to the City attack with his ability to hold up the ball. Aaron Williams, who left Saturday’s game at St James Park on crutches, was deemed fit to keep his place in the starting eleven after what Carl Heeley called a “miraculous recovery”, with Jose Veiga making his home debut following his impressive performance on Saturday’s 0-0 draw.
Worcester stunned the visitors as Daniel Nti marked his much welcomed return to the side with his first City goal in the opening minute. George Williams’s long throw fell to the feet of Graham Hutchinson, who trapped the ball and had the composure to lay the ball back to Nti, who rifled the ball into the top corner of the near post.

There were appeals for a City penalty with a quarter of an hour gone as Daniel Nti appeared to have his shirt pulled several times inside the area. The referee quickly quashed the appeals and waved play on.
Worcester had the chance to double their lead soon after, as Ashley Sammons played Nti through with a well weighted long ball. Nti, who caused the Hednesford defence problems in the first half, shrugged off the challenge of Francino Francis, but goalkeeper Dan Crane got down well to beat the low drive away.
But the home side would rue their missed chances, as Elliot Durrell’s through ball found striker Wayne Riley, who rounded Jose Veiga and calmly slotted the ball into the vacated net to level the score.
The Pitmen pushed Worcester back in the final minutes of the first half. First, a Durrel free kick from the left was headed over by Francis, before Nathan Wolfe fired wide from the resulting corner, and a fine save from Jose Veiga keeping Worcester clinging on.
But disaster struck with just a minute left in the first half as Graham Hutchinson tripped John Disney in the area to gift Hednesford a penalty. Hednesford top scorer Durrell added to his season tally of six goals, calmly sending Veiga the wrong way to convert the spot kick in front of the travelling Hednesford fans to send the Pitmen into the break leading 2-1.
City snatched a goal midway through the half. Left back Ellis Deeney slotted Danny Glover through into the box. His prod goal-wards was blocked by the goalkeeper, but fell kindly to Daniel Nti who headed home from a yard out for his second goal of the game.
The goal sparked a quiet second half into life and suddenly there was fighting spirit reinstated into both teams.
Hednesford tried to hit back, but Jamey Osbourne’s strike from distance was well saved by Jose Veiga, and the Pitmen brought on the fresh legs of striker, Charlie Anagho-Ntamark in an attempt to protect their one hundred per-cent start to the campaign.
Hednesford bombarded the City box with crosses and long balls as the game wore on, but failed to create any clear cut chances as Veiga controlled his area well, and Worcester tried to counter attack their opponents, a tactic that almost paid off on Saturday against Brackley.
The Pitmen continued to attack, and clever wing play from Jamey Osbourne saw the midfielder play the ball inside to Kris Taylor who teed Durrell, whose attempt to hammer the ball at goal was blocked.
Tom Thorley had the chance to steal the win late on with a free kick on the edge of the box, but he fired his attempt into the wall.
But the game finished at 2-2, meaning that City have taken points from two difficult fixtures against two unbeaten teams.
Manager Carl Heeley believed a point was the minimum his side deserved.

“If we had been a bit more clinical in certainly the first twenty or twenty minutes we should have had three or four goals and the game should have been dead and buried.”

Heeley was also pleased with Daniel Nti’s bright start to his first season of Conference football after playing for Loughborough University.

“He’s a good player, I’m really really pleased with him. I’m pleased for him as a lad because he’s such a lovely kid and his application, everything about the boy is likeable.
“When they step up divisions, questions will be asked. Can they cut it? But theres no question he can cut it, no problem at all.”
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