Worcester City v Maidstone United - Friday 3rd May 1974
This was the final game to be played in the 1973-74 season and the last that City played in the Southern League Premier Division until August 1977 with the next three seasons being spent in the First Division. Coming into the game the situation was crystal clear, City had to win to stay up and any other result would mean relegation. 1,503 turned up that night hoping to see the City beat Maidstone United and so to secure their place in the Premier Division. The game started well and leading scorer John Inglis duly opened the scoring in the first half with a wonderful goal. City strived hard for the second goal that would have made the game secure but the nearest they got was a second half shot that thumped against the crossbar. The seconds ticked away and barely seven minutes remained when Maidstone equalised and then they scored again on the stroke of full time. City attacked straight from the kick-off and Ray Aggio assisted a John Inglis effort over the line by the simple means of pushing the defenders out of the way. The referee allowed the goal to stand but then blew for full time and City were relegated.
Quite how City had come to get into relegation trouble is a bit of a mystery. It' s true that money was tight and the utilitarian multi-game programme cover and tatty typed contents suggests as much but equally it was true that there was perhaps a lack of experience in the team but this doesn't go far to explain the demise of a team that had finished fifth in the league in 1972-73.