THE tables turned on Worcester City in a 2-0 defeat at Coventry United - the side they had ousted from the FA Vase 10 days earlier. 

Tyler Haddow and Josh O'Grady bagged the second-half goals after Matt Gardner had wasted a penalty for the hosts at 0-0. 

READ MORE | "I don't feel like we had a go" - City boss laments Coventry United display 

In truth, City never totally got to grips with the artificial surface at Butts Park Arena with Craig Jones's effort which brushed the post via the glove of his former Bromsgrove Sporting team-mate Reece Francis as close as the visitors went. 

Dan Jezeph pulled off a fine save early on, while Francis then earned his corn from the best opening of the half by tipping Jones's header against the post.

Haddow flicked in O'Grady's corner seven minutes after half-time before Gardner confused codes at the home of Coventry RFC, blazing a 55th minute penalty onto the railway line behind the goal after Sam Hall had needlessly upended Haddow.

The penalty let-off spurred on City momentarily with Liam Lockett’s free-kick inches from being turned in but the home side doubled the advantage on 63 minutes when man-of-the-match O’Grady curled in a free kick from 20 yards after Kurtis Mewies had fouled Haddow.

Both sides pressed after that but chances were at a premium and United ran out deserved winners with City's Marco Adaggio sin binned late on. 

United: Francis 6, Sawyer 7, Hudson 6, Downes 6, Ison 7, Quirke 7, O’Grady 8.5 (Holt 90), Williams 7 (Cairns 73, 5), Gardner 4.5 (O'Sullivan 69, 6), Carey 6, Haddow 8.

Unused subs: Vallance, Carsley

City: Jezeph 7, English 6, Okojie 6, Jones 6, Hall 5.5, Mewies 6 (Hawkins 77, 5), Lockett 7, Withington 7 (Rowe 28, 6), Brain 6 (Harrison 64, 6), Brown 7, Adaggio 6.

Unused subs: Mooney, Bajrami (g/k).