Neither goalkeeper was worked during a first half dominated by defences, although the hosts had more territory and forced a couple of scrambled clearances with Jordan Nadat looking to find an angle to shoot.

City gradually penned back their opponents in the second half and were agonisingly close to the opener just past the hour when Liam Lockett dashed into the box and lifted over keeper Lloyd Ransome only for Joe Ballinger to slide in and hack off the line.

The breakthrough arrived five minutes later when Luke English hustled Dan Okojie off the ball before nudging to Harrison on the corner of the box to fire a crisp low shot across Ransome

Wood changed to a three-pronged attack and began to launch balls into the box but City grabbed the decisive second on the break.

James Baldwin was released to the left of the box with his low cross-shot followed in by Harrison from the far corner of the six-yard box.

Worcester controlled proceedings from there until Willis, chasing a seemingly dead ball, got tangled up with Clarke who was on the dead-ball line to the left of goal with his back to the action.

Butlin fired low to Dan Jezeph’s left and Wood wanted a second penalty at the end but their handball shouts fell on deaf ears.

Attendance: 147