UNDER-strength Lancaster City crashed to a 3-1 defeat by the River Severn at Worcester but not before giving their ambitious hosts a run for their money.

Boss Phil Wilson, beset by injuries, was able to bring skipper Gary Bauress back into his starting side and also threw new boy Chris Beech into the fray.

Beech, formerly of Huddersfield Town, had been on trial with Bury and Rochdale but decided to move to the Giant Axe and showed some nice touches on his debut.

But Wilson is still missing several key players and against Worcester they were always facing an uphill struggle.

Worcester were out of the traps like a cross between Mick the Miller and Ballyregan Bob in the greyhound derby as City were pressed onto the back foot from the word go. And it only took eight minutes for the first goal to come as Adam Webster's header beating Jamie Speare after a cross from Nicky Colley.

Worcester continued to surge forward and out-stripped the Lancaster defence but City stood firm in the face of constant pressure.

And, after 32 minutes, they delighted their travelling support when they got back on level terms.

Neil Prince won the ball in midfield and, with the Worcester defence claiming offside, kept his nerve to slot home past the advancing Aaron Kerr to make it 1-1.

That goal gave the Dolly Blues plenty of confidence and they started to put more pressure on the Worcester defence but they couldn't make that pressure count and were made to pay after the break.

Leon Kelly finished off a flowing five-man move on 54 minutes to make it 2-1 and Worcester appeared certain to run away with the game.

But they reckoned without Speare. The former Accrington Stanley man made a stunning save to deny Kelly and Webster in quick time while City, despite the trickery of Ryan Zico Black, failed to trouble Worcester's relaxed defence.

And it came as no surprise when a third goal came with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Colin Hoyle won the ball and rounded Speare before rolling home from a tight angle in impressive style to leave Lancaster deflated and beaten.

CITY: Speare, Clark, Scott, Sparrow, McMahon, Elderton, Bauress, Beech, Jones, Black, Prince. Substitutes: Daw, Stone, Stanhope, Murphy, Yeomans.