Worcester City 5-0 AFC Wulfrunians
Midland Football League Premier Division
Rob George reports from the Victoria Ground
FIVE-STAR Worcester City roared to the top of the Midland Football League Premier Division with a convincing performance which earned a standing ovation from the Faithful.
City continued their 100 per cent start to the season which has seen them score nine goals in three games while keeper Matt Gwynne is yet to pick the ball out of the net.
Joint chiefs John Snape and Lee Hughes named an unchanged side from Saturday’s 3-0 success over Heanor Town and once again deployed their enterprising 4-4-2 formation.
The visitors had the first chance of the game when Jordan Harrison got on the end of a cross from the left but his header was well saved by Gwynne.
City slowly found their feet and a cross from Hughes saw Matt Birley miss his header before the pair combined again when a raking ball forward from Birley found Hughes who shot over from 25 yards.
But the deadlock was broken on 12 minutes when Brad Birch notched his first goal in a City shirt with a tap in from three yards after good work from Hughes on the left saw him cut the ball back from the by-line.
The confidence which is beginning to grow in this City side then oozed out with Birch pulling the strings in midfield and striker Dave Reynolds had two good chances to increase the lead.
But the red-hot striker wasn’t to be denied for long and made it 2-0 on 22 minutes when he deflected in Jamie Smith’s shot from the edge of the area following a Birley corner.
City were threatening to run riot and skipper Tyler Weir burst into the box two minutes later and was taken down by Wulfrunians Matthew Hunt.
Hunt was booked for the foul which saw Hughes step up to take the penalty and miss after the hitman injured his hip as he ran up to strike the ball.
Mark Danks was introduced in his place and Wulfrunians could have pulled a goal back four minutes later when Weir headed off the line after Hunt met a corner from the right.
Gwynne was again at his best four minutes from the break with an instinctive save from a Craig Stevens header before City completed a first half to remember with their third goal.
Reynolds crossed from the left which was missed but kept in play by Birley who returned the favour from the right for the in-form striker to head home and make it five goals in three games.
3-0 at the break didn’t flatter City in the slightest and the Blue and Whites sought to add more goals in the second half with Danks at the fore of all the attacks.
The fan favourite was rewarded for his hard work 20 minutes into the second half when he raced on to a through ball from Reynolds to meet the keeper one on one and slide home for his first goal since he returned to the club.
Hunt was dismissed with seven minutes to play for a second yellow card as Wulfrunians struggled to hold back the Blue and White tide.
And the rout was completed in injury time when Weir slid Danks in on the right hand side of the box for him to again slot home cooly to make it 5-0.
Hughes and Snape have built a squad full of leaders with a back four led by the impressive Mark Smith.
Based on the early running it will take an impressive side to fell the Blue and Whites from the lofty perch they already occupy.