STUDLEY striker Dean Meyrick has told of his shock after being caught up in violent scenes which prompted the abandonment of Pershore's match at Coventry Marconi last week.

The former Alvechurch striker agreed to guest for his Lye Meadow boss Mick Preece after a spate of withdrawals for the midweek fixture.

Meyrick, forced out of the first team picture after a close season transfer by the form of Craig Pountney and Kevin Rowlands, was given the all-clear to play by Bees manager Mark Chambers and came on ten minutes after half time of an uneventful encounter.

But the trouble started after a Marconi player, incensed at a challenge from former Alvechurch striker James Preece, swung at the forward, who is the manager's son.

"The guy went down and came straight back up," said Meyrick, "he said he was going to kill James."

"He lost his head and started fighting, the ref was whistling like mad and red carded him.

"But he kept going, the ref took a slight blow and he started swinging at everyone including two of his teammates.

"It got silly when some of the fans, who called the player by his name, came on the pitch and decided they wanted to fight us again.

"We heard comments about doing the job properly and you don't know what they will do in that situation.

"Mick was in there trying to protect James and took some nasty blows, including a bite on the ear.

"About nine of us were forced to flee the ground in two groups and James and another player disappeared and were founded sheltering in a nearby house.

"Someone called the police and we were left at the gate back at the ground while the police searched for the fans.

"After the game we were kept in the changing rooms for 45 minutes before we were let home.

"I've played at this sort of level for around 15 or 16 years and never seen anything like it.

"You get fights but it was scarier than that, it was frightening.

"A couple of the Pershore players are questioning whether they should carry on - we don't get megabucks to play we just get expenses and it's not worth it.

"I picked up the paper on Sunday and saw Marconi were allowed to play in the Vase and I couldn't believe it."

Preece senior, aged 56, was recovering at home this week and has already decided to walk away from football to concentrate on his family.