HAT-tricks for Demetri Brown and Sean Brain helped ruthless Worcester City to a biggest win in 43 years – a 9-0 demolition of erratic Racing Club Warwick.

AS IT HAPPENED: City 9 Racing Club Warwick 0 

City punished Warwick’s ill discipline with Joe Smith sent off just before half-time with the score at 2-0 and ex-Coventry City midfielder Kevin Thornton sin binned at 4-0.

Four goals in six minutes followed against the nine men with Liam Lockett and substitute Jordan Harrison netting. Marco Adaggio rounded off the scoring to ensure all four City strikers scored.

It marked the club’s biggest triumph since smashing Oswestry Town 12-2 in 1976 – a day which saw John Inglis score six and Barry Williams three.

Brown and Brain also became the first City players to get trebles in the same match since John Muir and Les Ebery notched three apiece in an 8-0 win over Merthyr Tydfil in the Southern League Cup in 1985.

 

 

"I am so proud of the boys, they got what they deserved," said manager Ashley Vincent.

"It was difficult for Warwick when they went down to 10 men but teams have been a man light against us this season and we have found it tough.

"The key was that no one started doing their own thing, we kept moving the ball and played it to lads in better positions when they were there at the right times.

"It was the will to want to go and score more and to express themselves in a disciplined manner, it was done within the team shape.

"I was desperate for that last one to go in, for Dadg (Marco Adaggio) to get off an running so that all my strikers got goals. 

"We will need that, there are another eight league games and a Vase tie before Christmas and everyone has to be chipping in. It is about sharing the load.

"Aside from the goals I am pleased and proud of the players, there have been some difficult times and they deserved it for their hard work and effort.

"We have created chance after chance all season without being clinical enough but we got the goals this time and I was delighted to see that in terms of boosting the morale.

"We are not getting carried away, it is one game of football and we have another big one on Wednesday (at home to Lye Town, 7.45) where we have to capitalise on this display.

"The players have taken some stick - I'm not bothered about myself, I am big enough to take it on the chin - but we have some young lads in there.

"They got the crowd behind them this time, it was a noise they had probably not heard this season or last season and it helped them.

"They will need that going forward and I am buzzing for the boys because they now know what they are capable of when they put their minds to it."

City took control from the outset, bossing the opening 20 minutes against opponents that looked disinterested.

Dan Jezeph’s punt forward was miscontrolled by Brain but a touch off a defender dropped for Brown to rifle inside Charlie Bannister’s near post in the seventh minute.

Warwick continued to be overran and it was no surprise when Brown’s second arrived in the 16th minute.

New signing Luke Rowe picked up a half-cleared corner and played back out to taker Lockett whose low cross was scuffed by Brown, mishit by Craig Jones and then finally forced in by Brown.

Warwick had a brighter 10 minutes, gaining territory and creating two good chances.

Rudy Misambo cleared the crossbar from six yards following Thornton’s quick corner with Scott Turner’s looping header dropping over after City had failed to deal with another set piece.

City soon regained control, though, Bannister pulling off a point-blank double save from Brown and Jones.

Things began to unravel for the visitors when Smith’s argument with referee Jordan Griffiths resulted in a straight red card.

Danico Johnson was perhaps fortunate not to follow him for scything down Chris Withington and kicking the ball away, only for Griffiths to just end the half with no punishment.

The one-way traffic continued with Brown released down the right of the box but Bannister pulled off a stellar full-stretch save shortly after the interval.

City did not have to wait long for the third, Luke English sliding Brown down the right of the area to selflessly cut back for Brain to round Bannister and beat Turner on the line.

Brain returned the favour by dinking up from the edge of the box for Brown to bundle in his third, prompting more protestations and Thornton was sin binned for having too much to say.

The nine looked well and truly beaten, Lockett’s weaving run and shot hacked off the line by Ty Knight before a similar run ended with the fifth.

Lockett looked to do the same again and despite being thwarted by Bannister, Brain cushioned in on the half volley from inside the six-yard box.

Number seven soon came, Lockett’s pass into Adaggio flicked to his right for Harrison to tuck in across goal.

Adaggio would have had a penalty having been wrestled the ground but Brain took over to bag his treble with eight minutes to go.

English’s drive forward ended with a shot parried by Bannister and Harrison fluffing his lines and then Lockett slammed into the busy keeper’s legs from close range in search of the ninth.

It arrived a minute past the 90 when an offside-looking Harrison bamboozled Misambo on the right and found Adaggio to slam in from 12 yards.

Brain’s pass for Adaggio was too strong and Harrison rippled the side netting as City chased double figures, refusing to make do with a bumper haul at any stage.

STAR MAN – LUKE ROWE

A tough call and it speaks volumes that it went to neither of the hat-trick heroes.

The new signing, aged 18 let’s not forget, excelled in a quarter-back style role, pinging balls here, there and everywhere from tight positions.

Made City tick in the middle, affording Liam Lockett the licence to do his thing.

City were excellent across the board. As Warwick fell to pieces it would have been easy to make do at four or five, or get dragged into the away side’s ill discipline, but they didn’t.

Ashley Vincent's men were rampant and if there was any small criticism, it could and should have been even more.

City: Jezeph 8.5, English 8, Okojie 8, Jones 8, Hall 8, Mewies 7.5 (Willis, 72, 7.5, Lockett 9, Withington 9 (Adaggio, 65, 7.5), Brain 9, Brown 9 (Harrison, 65, 7.5), Rowe 9.5*.

Unused subs: Jamie Smith, Bajrami (g/k).

Warwick: Bannister 6, Knight 6, Fraser 4, Misambo 4.5, Turner 5, Joe Smith 2, Hutchcox 5, Thornton 2 (Boothe, 76, 4.5), Johnson 4 (Herbert, 69, 4.5), Bertie 6, Blake 4 (Houston, h-t, 4.5).

Unused subs: Amenku, Wigmore.

Referee: Jordan Griffiths, 4.

Attendance: 310.