The goal came in controversial circumstances as there appeared to be a foul in the build up to the Motors winner as Tyler Weir was seemingly shoved in the back before the ball fell to Tuck whose neat finish was allowed to stand.

The game may not have matched the entertainment value of Tuesday night’s victory at Altrincham, but it was certainly on par for atrocious weather conditions, with torrential rain before kick-off and during the game combined with swirling winds making play very difficult at Rivacre Park.

City came into the game on the back of three straight wins. But their opponents were on the other end of the form spectrum, losing all of their last three games and were yet to win in 2014.

An unchanged City came close with nine minutes gone as Daniel Nti tried to replicate his wonder strike from Tuesday night, cutting inside from the left but seeing his curling shot from the edge of the area blocked.

In what was a first half of little goalmouth action, Ethan Moore exchanged neat one touch play with Nti and beat the offside trap, but goalkeeper Zac Jones was quick off his line to deny the striker a shot at goal with twenty four minutes gone.

But Jones was nearly caught out two minutes later when Aaron Williams saw his attempt to lob the stranded goalkeeper headed off the line by Louis Barnes, with Nti’s attempt to scramble the ball home on the rebound denied by some desperate Motors defending.

Vauxhall carved out their first real chance of the game at the forty minute mark via some tricky wing play from the pacey Aaron Ray, who cut in from the left hand side and saw his curling shot headed behind by Graham Hutchinson.

It was much of the same after the restart as City continued to create the best of the games scarce chances.

The home side worked Veiga with just over fifity minutes gone as Karl Clair drove from inside from his own half before unleashing an ambitious shot from distance that was gathered easily by the Portuguese stopper.

City continued to push and created their best chance of the game as Tyler Weir’s clever through ball found Ebby Nelson-Addy in the area, with the midfielder’s attempt to curl the ball into the far corner from an acute angle being pushed out by Jones, with the follow up shot from George Williams on the edge of the area being blocked.

But, against the run of play, it was the hosts that struck the decisive blow as Clair’s blocked shot deflected fortuitously into the path of Shaun Tuck, who curled the ball into the far corner of the net to give Motors the lead with just ten minutes remaining, despite there being strong claims for a foul for what seemed to be a push on Tyler Weir in the build up to the goal.

Worcester pushed for the equaliser as Graham Hutchinson was thrown up front for the remaining time. And substitute Steven Leslie’s cross with the last kick of the game flashed across goal and was agonisingly close to being touched into the back of the net. But Motors clung on to claim their first win of the New Year.

“The conditions were very, very difficult. It was blustery, swirling winds, it wasn’t conducive to good football. That said, credit to both sets of players because they both gave their all”, said a frustrated Carl Heeley.
“It should have been a 0-0 draw, but unfortunately, the games been decided by an awful, awful decision by the referee. But that’s football. Decisions go against you, but I can’t ask for any more from the lads today. They’ve been superb in the last three games and I feel terribly sorry for them. It’s frustrating when things go against you.
“We’ve got nine points out of twelve. We can’t let that defeat affect our belief and our confidence”, added the City boss.

City will be hoping to frustrate another Skrill North high-flyer as they entertain Solihull Moors at Aggborough on Tuesday night (7:45pm kick off).

Report by Alexander Harris