Worcester City are still in the hat for Monday’s FA Trophy second round draw after battling to a goalless draw with Shropshire neighbours AFC Telford United in an enthralling game at Aggborough, stretching their unbeaten run to four games.

It was anything but a bore draw as the game burst into life midway through the first half, with both teams guilty of missing chances, with Jose Veiga producing a remarkable display on his return to the side from injury, with his opposite number also impressing in goal for the Bucks.

Telford boss, Liam Watson, was impressed with the home side, remarking, “I haven’t got a clue why they are down the bottom”, as City frustrated one of the Skrill North’s top sides, and not for the first time this season.

In what was a quiet opening quarter of an hour, Daniel Nti came close as he latched onto Steven Leslie’s deflected shot, but saw his attempt to prod past the advancing Young blocked.

The tie kick-started midway through the first half in a frantic spell after the twentieth minute mark.

The game suddenly came to life, as neat play from the Bucks resulted in Andy Owen’s being found unmarked in the area, but the pressure of the encroaching Veiga was enough to thwart the winger.

From the resulting Mcginn corner, defender Neil Byrne’s thundering header at goal was scrambled clear, with the Telford team convinced that the ball had crossed the line. The officials quickly quashed the appeals.

City survived, and as the game stretched, both teams began to carve out chances. With twenty-five minutes gone, another goal line scramble saw the impressive Veiga reacting to block on the line before City scrambled the ball clear.

There was barely time to draw breath before, just a minute later, the lively Adam Farrell escaped beyond the City back-four, with Veiga rescuing city with a sliding block.

But the home side created chances of their own and countered with Aaron Williams driving inside the Bucks half but seeing his low drive blocked.

City continued to match their Skrill North opponents and threatened to grab the lead themselves, as Aaron Williams’s back post cross was met by Ethan Moore, who could only head down into the floor with the ball bouncing to the goalkeeper, before Nti blazed wide on the half volley via a deflection moments later.

Just minutes before the interval, Nti fired over with a speculative drive from distance, before George Williams’s low cross was met with a neat touch by former Bucks player, Steven Leslie, who lost his footing at the vital moment.

Taundry then drove from the half way line, making it to the Bucks area before being denied a shot at goal by a heavy challenge. Somehow, the teams entered the break goalless.

After the restart, Ethan Moore missed a guilt-edged chance to give City the lead, being found unmarked in the area, but sending his half-volley looping over Young’s crossbar.

Veiga was tested again with sixty-five minutes gone, pulling off two stunning saves. First, the Portuguese stopper reacted well to tip a powerful Tony Gray header from inside the six-yard box wide, before beating away a stinging drive from distance from Gray from the resulting corner.

But City continued to be equal to their opponents. Danny Glover and debutant Dominic Dell were thrown on for City, signalling their attacking intent.

With his first touch of the game, Dell teed the tenacious Glover, whose curling effort was tipped over acrobatically by the fingertips of Young.

And approaching the seventieth minute mark, City began to dominate the game as, Ellis Deeney’s driven in-swinging corner was glanced by Nti, but the header flew agonisingly past the far corner.

Dell was involved again with fifteen minutes remaining, meeting Ellis Deeney’s flick on, manoeuvring the ball onto his right foot, but lashing his shot over from the edge of the area when composure was needed.

City continued to threaten with a series of crosses flashing across the United penalty area. And with ten minutes left, with the Bucks dropping deeper, City’s confidence grew and the home side pressed for a winner.

Substitute Ebby Nelson-Addy crossed low into the area, with Nti teeing Leslie, whose fierce, curling strike was tipped over by Young, who refused to be beaten in the Bucks goal.

With just minutes remaining, Matt Regan tried to bundle home from inside the six yard box but was denied by a mass of bodies on the Bucks goal line, before Richard Taundry’s driven half volley from well outside the area that was deflected just wide.

And with the last chance of the game, City countered as Jose Veiga launched a massive kick down the right to Nti, with the pacey frontman travelling down the right hand side before entering the United box, firing his shot across the area and agonisingly wide of the mark with City having to settle for a draw.

But manager, Carl Heeley, was impressed with his side’s performance and believes his side will be buoyed by their spirited draw at the New Bucks Head earlier in the season.

“I thought we looked a major threat today and with a little bit more composure in our final ball, we could have nicked it”, said the City boss.

“On the balance of the ninety minutes, a draw’s the right result. It was a very competitive game with nothing to choose between the two sides and I think we both deserve a second opportunity and the results the right one in my opinion.

“That’s the objective, to be in the hat and we are. The tie’s got plenty of football left in it. They’re going to have to work hard to beat us, that’s for certain”, he added.

The stalemate means that City will now travel to Shropshire to face a replay on Tuesday night (7.45 kick off) at the New Bucks Head to keep their FA Trophy dream alive.

The draw for the FA Trophy second round tie will take place on Monday.

Report by Alex Harris