Worksop fall to a fourth successive league defeat at Hyde United

The Tigers showed plenty of fight but ultimately left empty-handed, with United securing a well-earned victory.

Worksop manager Craig Parry was left disappointed by another sub-par performance from his side and said: “I thought we set off extremely well and I thought we set the tempo well and the energy was good for the first 30 minutes.

“That's the best I've seen it in the last five games.

“But it’s the same thing as before. It’s the quality in the final third that has let us down as we didn't take our chances and then we conceded another sloppy goal, which is not unusual for us at the moment.

“We concede first and we’re on the back foot and chasing games all the time rather than being on the front foot and taking our chances.”

The visitors showed early promise, nearly taking the lead within the first minute when Aleks Starcenko’s volley from inside the box took a deflection just past the post.

However, Hyde struck first on the counter-attack, with centre-half Joel Amado leading the charge.

Amado dispossessed Jacob Gratton, drove over the halfway line, and found Shakeel Jones-Griffiths, who sent a pinpoint pass to left-back Lewis Thompson. Thompson delivered a perfect cross to Ewan Bange, who shrugged off his marker and volleyed a powerful shot past Worksop keeper Tommy Taylor.

Worksop responded well and came close to an equaliser minutes later.

Regan Hutchinson stormed into Hyde’s final third and unleashed a shot toward the top corner, but Callum Hiddleston made a crucial save to deny him.

The Tigers continued to press, with Starcenko almost levelling the score in spectacular fashion when he attempted an ambitious chip from just inside the Hyde half after intercepting a pass from Amado.

His effort narrowly missed, and he was again unlucky moments later, with a header from a corner ricocheting off the underside of the crossbar.

Hyde then doubled their lead in the second half, capitalising on another fast break.

Jack Redshaw set up Callum Spooner, who collected the ball on the right and struck a low shot past Taylor to make it 2-0.

Spooner nearly added a third minutes later, but Taylor was able to tip his curling shot over the bar.

Taylor stayed busy, denying substitute Connor Heath with a quick reaction save to keep Worksop in the match.

Despite their persistence, Worksop couldn’t find a way past the resolute Hyde defence, anchored by Jack Byrne and Amado, who ensured a clean sheet and all three points for the hosts.