WORCESTER City turned no points into three in the final eight minutes of a 2-1 win at Long Eaton United last night.

City had enjoyed the lion’s share of the play up until a long ball saw Ruben Wiggins-Thomas saunter through to lob Dan Jezeph just before the hour.

The visitors wobbled for a while and still laboured thereafter but got their rewards for a never-say-die attitude when James Baldwin bypassed keeper Marcus Coombs for Liam Lockett to sweep home.

The comeback was complete with a minute to go when Jordan Harrison was clattered by Coombs while running across the 18-yard box with George Forsyth confidently stroking home the penalty with a minute play.

Sports reporter Andy Mitchell analyses the talking points.

NO HIGHGATE HANGOVER

City started well and imposed themselves on the game for the first 20-25 minutes, albeit in flashes.

There were no signs of a hangover from Saturday’s loss at Highgate with confidence and an inclination to pass well on display.

FLUENCY NEEDS A BIT OF WORK

Despite playing with purpose in patches, the first half frustrated in equal measure.

Opportunities to build lengthy spells of pressure went begging against a side that was there for the taking.

Centre-halves George Forsyth and Jordan Stoddart too frequently had to go for long, chipped balls that came back because there were no midfield options.

On the occasions there were, City simply had too much for Long Eaton and might have overwhelmed them by the break had they been relentless in that respect. 

CONFIDENCE IS BRITTLE

Even through the peaks and troughs in tricky conditions, City controlled matters until the 59th minute when they shipped a poor goal.

Possession was given away cheaply and away went Wiggins-Thomas, on to a long ball with only Jezeph to beat.

For a good 20 minutes after City looked flat, were quiet and had shaky moments from the set-pieces they had dominated all game.

Forsyth recently said Worcester needed to play with more swagger and this highlighted his point.

Mistakes happen, City need to trust their quality when they do occur.

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED…

At 1-0 this had all the hallmarks of a hard-luck story.

A bad goal shipped, Luke English off injured, a weak referee and time ebbing away on a cold, wet November night.

Things were not going City’s way but they forced the turnaround against a side that simply could not cope with the gulf in quality for 90 minutes.

SUBSTITUTIONS WERE KEY

As the opponents tired, this match was made for Lockett’s trickery and composure.

The introduction of Josh Willis also freed the impressive Riley Keasey to help newcomer Pierce Kiembi down the right.

Kiembi’s style was unorthodox at times – indeed he might have been booked for an awkward lunge but for one of a collection of head-scratching calls from referee Jamie Howe – but the ball seemed to stick to his feet as United became bamboozled.

City deserved to win, even if they made much harder work of it than they should have.

MATCH STATS

Long Eaton United 1 (Wiggins-Thomas 59) Worcester City 2 (Lockett 82, Forsyth 89p)

Long Eaton: Coombs 6, Faulkner 5, Scanlon 5.5, Brittain 5.5 (Towle, 90+2, 6), Graham 7, Rowley 6, Asri 5.5 (Bestwick, 64, 5.5), Thornton 5.5, Mellors-Blair 6, Wiggins-Thomas 6.5, Smith 6.5. Unused sub: Parker.

City: Jezeph 7, English 6 (Willis, 57, 6), KEASEY 7.5*, Forsyth 7.5, Stoddart 7.5, Caines 6, Birch 7 (Lockett, 64, 7.5), Withington 7, Harrison 6, Evans 5.5 (Kiembi, 74, 6.5), Baldwin 7. Unused subs: Birley, Gilder (g/k).

Referee: Jamie Howe, 5.5.

Attendance: 52.