WORCESTER City hit back from going an early goal down to win 2-1 at 10-man AFC Wulfrunians in the Midland Football League Premier Division.

Connor Mooney and Sam Hall scored at Castlecroft Stadium to put City up to 11th in the table in the club's first game since February 17.

City, now unbeaten in three league games in a row, will target a second consecutive win when visiting third-from-bottom Gresley on Tuesday night (7.45pm).

Fourteenth-placed Wulfrunians took the lead on Saturday with an eighth-minute penalty from James Hill despite keeper Dan Jezeph getting a hand to the ball.

It was awarded after Aaron Bishop was bundled over in the area.

But City drew level in the 22nd minute when Mooney rewarded a fine move from the visitors with a fitting, curled finish via his left foot into the top corner.

Soon after, a last-ditch clearance on the line prevented a Liam Lockett corner going straight into the net for Worcester.

Wulfrunians had a player sin-binned before half-time but suffered an even bigger blow on 58 minutes when Ben Jevons was shown a second yellow card and dismissed.

Hall, who was moved into midfield, conjured what turned out to be the winner for City on 66 minutes with his first goal for the club, driving home low from just inside the area.

Worcester brought on new signing Edilson Panzo-Antonio in the 77th minute with the player arriving from Coleshill Town.

He had played for Highgate United earlier this season, scoring against City at the Victoria Ground.

But there was to be no debut goal as Worcester eventually held on to the 2-1 success for a much-needed three-point boost after the weather-enforced lay-off.

City manager Ashley Vincent said: "I thought we were ring-rusty. It surprised me.

"We have been working on fitness with the games called off but it's nothing like match fitness.

"But on Thursday we did a session and the players were bright and zesty. I actually thought they'd bring it into Saturday's game.

"However, when you open up the pitch you can't replicate match practice and fitness so we were ring-rusty, especially in the first half.

"But they've had two shots on goal ­— one was the penalty and one was from 30 yards. That's the story for us though ­— teams aren't creating a lot but they're scoring and that's the disappointing thing.

"Saying that, it hasn't been a classic game. We haven't been sharp and aggressive with the ball but we've still come away with a win.

"So I have to be happy and we have to take it into Tuesday night and the next six weeks and pick up as many points as we can as well as hopefully getting into the League Cup semi-finals.

"Overall it's a positive this weekend but we have to play better than that."

On match-winner and former Coventry City youngster Hall, Vincent added: "He's such a fantastic footballer.

"He's someone that can probably play right-back, centre-half in a two or a three or in midfield comfortably.

"I thought he was fantastic on Saturday. You can play him in most positions and get a consistent performance because he plays the game the same way.

"I'm happy he's got the winner because he was probably our best player overall in the sense of he got it, gave it and snuffed things out off the ball. I'm happy for him."

City: Jezeph, English, Smith, Jones, Hawkins, Hall, Lockett, Rowe, Brain (Panzo-Antonio), Adaggio (Dryden), Mooney (Withington). Subs not used: Okojie, Willis.

Attendance: 85.