Hellenic League Champions-elect Worcester City proved their title credentials, inflicting Slimbridge’s first defeat of 2024 with four goals at Thornhill Park on Saturday. 

Although the scoreline was a little harsh on the home side, the visitors gave a clinical display of how to take your chances as they surely head into the Southern League next season. 

A crowd of 340, the highest at Thornhill Park this season, saw the visitors take the lead after 11 minutes, when Kyle Belmont pounced on some confusion in the Slimbridge back line, and convert after a scramble in the Slimbridge box. 

George Neill was proving the threat for the Swans early on, and after he just couldn’t reach a Marley Thomas cross, he then hit the side netting after being set through by Harrison Reeves on 20 minutes. 

With the Swans beginning to create chances, another good Thomas cross saw Kirk Layton make a good intercepting headed before Theo Clayson could get onto the ball.

On the half hour mark, a free kick conceded by Ben Prictor allowed Elliott Hartley swing his effort past the Slimbridge wall to double the Worcester advantage. 

In the second minute of first half stoppage time, another carelessly conceded free kick saw Liam Lockett repeat the same procedure from the other side of the goal, and his effort went in off the Slimbridge post to effectively kill the game off as a contest. 

The second half was a lot more even affair – Sam Blackie brought a good save from Worcester Keeper Haydn Whitcombe early on, and Neill was just off target when though on goal, while Lockett also hit the side netting for the visitors. 

Neill brought another save from Whitcombe on 66 minutes after a Rudi McKinnon backheel set him up, but four minutes later, Cameron Monteith scored from the edge of the Slimbridge box to record Worcester’s fourth. 

The visitors thought they had a fifth two minutes later, when Adam Mace’s shot was saved by Ellis Parker, but Jamie Insall followed up to convert, only to see the goal disallowed for a handball after discussions between the referee and the linesman. 

The two teams meet again tomorrow night at Thornhill Park, in a Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup Quarter Final. (7.45pm)

Team: Parker, Turner, Prictor (McKinnon 60), Hands, Dennis, Hitchings, Clayson (Mbunga 80), Blackie, Neill, Reeves (Smith 68), Thomas (Coker 80)

Supporters Club Man of the Match: George Neill