CITY BOSS RELISHING A PILE-UP
WORCESTER’S unquenchable desire to win was praised by boss Chris Cornes.
A remarkable season continues to gather pace for triumphant City, who were a class above their Yorkshire counterparts, with a two-legged semi now on the horizon as the prospect of appearing under the Wembley arch comes ever closer.
Battling on four fronts in county competitions, the league and in the Vase, the challenge of managing workloads and expectations is a comparatively easy one, in the eyes of Worcester’s manager Cornes.
“We’ll be playing three games a week from now on but we’ll be able to manage it,” he said.
“We’ve got four trophies we’re going for, the lads are great with each other, some will be disappointed not to play. There’s that dangling carrot for us, you want to be in contention, but we’ll not get carried away.
“It’s much easier to keep that going when you’re winning: we’ve still got something like 18 or 20 games left, that’s still half a season in league games.
“Hopefully momentum keeps us going and we’ll see how many medals we have come the end of it.” Despite a slow start to proceedings at a sold-out Claines Lane, it was pre-match favourites Worcester who settled quickest in front of their expectant home faithful.
After a right-flank cross evaded intended target Dylan Hart on the penalty spot, the ball instead dropped kindly to the grateful Liam Lockett who, in acres of space, took one touch before burying in the top-left corner.
Ultimately, it would be a half of great frustration for the visitors, who just could not get to grips with a pitch which has suffered many a postponement this term.
Three minutes from the interval, a hopeful ball in was headed harmlessly back to the goalkeeper by Ross Hardaker which, coinciding with Aleksander Petrovic’s slip, saw the ball trickle into the net.
A somewhat subdued second 45 followed, with Worcester defending resolutely, Emley repeatedly barking with no bite, and a sense of the inevitable as the encounter progressed.
Lockett doubled his tally with an excellent control and finish from Hart’s centre with 15 to play.
Substitute Izak Reid then provided the cherry on the cake, clipping the ball into the net via the post two minutes into stoppage time.
Remaining upbeat in defeat, Emley boss Richard Tracey believes his side were harshly done by in scoreline and on-field decisions, adding: “I think the game was closer than the scoreline suggested.
“We’ve conceded a really bad second goal after having two big chances to get back in the game.
“I felt the officiating didn’t go our way, I’m not entirely sure why we’ve had two sin bins in the game.
“Our fans were incredible, credit to Worcester fans for applauding our lads off.”