All this happened after City were forced to adjust to the absence of three of their first choice players due to injury. Captain Colin Towler was joined on the sidelines by fellow centre-back Gary Kemp, and loan striker Dave Gilroy failed to recover from the knock he received at King's Lynn. This meant Iain Harvey moved into an unfamiliar defensive role alongside deadline day signing Toby Redwood. Another new arrival, Danny Bailey, lined up alongside Paul Milsom in the midfield with Cleverley making his first league start up front with Foster.

Under the Twerton sunshine the sides produced an uneventful opening to procedings. Only an optimistic volley by Cleverley and a Middleton run on goal - halted by an excellent tackle by Harvey - livened up proceedings until from nowhere City won a penalty. There appeared to be no danger from Foster's strong run into the box as he was shepparded wide but City's top scorer went down under Carty's challenge. The linesman immediately raised his flag and, after a moments pause, indicated it was a penalty. Drysdale stepped up to become City's fifth penalty taker of the season and fired the ball into the right corner of the net.

Worcester had produced practically nothing to threaten Hervin's goal although the keeper did almost hand them an opening when he spilt a Duke corner. However, the danger was cleared and within five minutes of this escape City had turned their slender single goal advantage into a match winning three goal lead. Matt Hale found space down the left and his deep cross picked out Cleverley on the edge of the six yard. The teenage striker allowed the ball to drop before producing a fierce half volley that gave McDonnell no chance. Two minutes later Drysdale lifted a cross into the Worcester area where Thorne produced a powerful header that beat the keeper at his near post. City could now relax and Foster almost got on to the end of a Williams cross in the 70th minute. Eight minutes later Hervin was forced into the first of the only two saves he needed to make, comfortably gathering Middleton's tame shot. The second came from the keepers poor clearance but Middleton could only lift the ball back into the retreating Hervin's arms. The game entered stoppage time and City did grab a fourth goal. Foster raced clear of Worcester's tiring back line only for McDonnell to deny him with a brave stop. However, the ball broke wide where Badman recovered it. He calmly carried it toward the goal before squaring it to Foster and he easily finished to record his six goal in successive games. The final whistle was greeted by the sight of last years City player of the year Jon Holloway - unjustly booed by a small section of City's supporters - heading down the tunnel almost before the sound of the whistle had faded away, which summed up how his current side had been swamped by his former.