Friday, October 5, 2001

TEMPERS flared in the tunnel at the end of Worcester City's 2-2 draw with Ilkeston Town to cap an explosive finale to this Dr Martens Premier clash at St George's Lane last night.

Two late penalties for City and a double sending off including City substitute Mark Shepherd, who had only been on the pitch five minutes, provided a rousing climax to a mostly poor display by the home side.

The late, late show by Worcester also deprived the Robins of top slot for the first time this season, but preserved Worcester's unbeaten home record.

Referee Mark Ives incurred the wrath of players, managers and spectators alike with an inept display, but City boss John Barton refused to use it as an excuse for his side.

"If you talk about the referee it camouflages what was a very poor performance by us," he said. "There was no tempo, nothing was happening through the game for us."

Barton admitted he was mystified by the Jekyll and Hyde performances of his side. "I don't know what we are going to get from match to match," he added.

"If you look at our home form we're undefeated but we haven't half run it close -- Weymouth, Hinckley, Moor Green, tonight.

"From the situation we were in I'm delighted with the point and waking up tomorrow morning it will seem an even better point.

"But it won't disguise the fact it was a poor performance. The last hour against Moor Green was poor and individually and collectively we've got to improve."

Barton did not rule out changes for next week's FA Cup tie at St Blazey and added he would also like to boost his side with a signing.

Ilkeston were deservedly one up after 22 minutes when the dangerous Tony Hemmings found the head of Glenn Kirkwood who nodded in from six yards.

The visitors doubled their advantage a minute before the break when Carl Wright calmly dinked the ball over Paul Wyatt after being put through by Kirkwood.

The second-half started scrappily but despite having more possession Worcester supporters had little to shout about apart from a Phil Stant penalty appeal which actually resulted in the striker being booked by the referee for diving.

Shepherd and midfielder Andy Ellis replaced Stant and Paul Carty in the 65th minute but by the 70th minute former Moor Green striker Shepherd was heading for an early bath after clashing with Matt McKenzie near the corner flag.

The sending off galvanized Worcester but it was not until the 85th minute they got a breakthrough when midfielder Jon Holloway was upended, enabling Mark Owen to tuck away the penalty.

Two minutes later a powerful Holloway shot struck an Ilkeston defender's hand leaving striker Owen to notch his 17th goal of the season and another unlikely point for the St George's Lane club.

Worcester: Wyatt 5, Davies 4, Burrow 4 (McFarlane 81), Heeley 6, Jukes 4, Holloway 7, Carty 5 (Ellis 65, 6), Middleton 6, Owen 6, Stant 5 (Shepherd 65, 2).