BOTH sides contributed to a highly-entertaining game at the Woodspring Stadium.

The home side may well feel that it was two points dropped, having dominated the play in the second-half after City were reduced to 10 men in the 46th minute.

Skipper Craig Wilding was shown a straight red card by referee Antony Coggins after an altercation with Weston’s Mark McKeever.

The referee deemed that Wilding had led with his elbow as both players challenged for the ball and the referee was left with little choice but to dismiss Wilding.

The striker took his time in leaving the field and left the referee in no doubt as to his feelings on the matter.

The game began with both sides showing that they meant business, and Weston were the first to threaten when good work involving McKeever and Ben Willshire saw the latter put in a cross which Darren Mullings headed narrowly over.

City then began to find their feet and threaten the home goal and only a timely interception from Andy Gurney denied the dangerous Marco Adaggio.

However, the ball dropped kindly to Mark Owen, but Ryan Northmore in the Weston goal turned the ball behind for the game’s first corner.

When the ball was swung across, Gurney was again the saviour as he stretched his big frame to clear the ball from off the line following a powerful Ollie Barnes header. City players claimed the ball had crossed the line but the referee waved play on.

Weston then wasted a chance to open their account when, following a throw-in, Marvin Brown crossed the ball into the area but Marc McGregor headed wide from five yards out.

City were then awarded a free-kick which was taken by Adaggio but his effort was blocked by the Weston defence.

Weston opened the scoring on 14 minutes after McKeever’s centre was headed behind by Shabir Khan. McKeever took the corner himself and found the head of Gurney completely unmarked just five yards out and he coolly headed past Danny McDonnell.

McGregor then wasted another chance by heading over from a Willshire cross.

The home side were finding space behind City’s defence and, at times, only desperate defending by the visiting back four kept the score down to 1-0.

McGregor was again in the thick of the action when he controlled a long through-ball, turned his marker but shot over the bar from 25 yards. City then went close to levelling after a throw in on the right. The ball fell to Mark Owen but his left-foot shot was straight at Northmore.

City had better luck on 37 minutes when they broke up a Weston attack on the left side of their area. Matt Dinsmore made ground down the left before picking out Adaggio in the middle of the field.

The striker controlled the ball before unleashing a terrific 30-yard screamer into the top right-hand corner of the net, giving Northmore no chance at all. Adaggio then almost gave City the lead on 42 minutes when he forced Northmore into a magnificent point-blank save.

Controlling the ball five yards out, he smashed it goalwards but Northmore somehow managed to palm the ball away.

Twice in the closing minutes of the first-half Weston should have regained the lead.

First Brown was guilty of a glaring miss when he tamely stroked the ball into the arms of McDonnell and, immediately afterwards, McKeever, with only the keeper to beat, again could not find a way past the imposing stopper.

Mullings then dragged an effort wide of the post as the half drew to a close.

The second-half was less than a minute old when Worcester were reduced to 10 men. Wilding and McKeever became entangled on the far touchline and, after consulting with his assistant, the referee issued a red card. McKeever needed several minutes attention before he could continue.

Weston should have made their advantage count and put the game beyond the visitors, but McKeever was guilty of a terrible miss when the ball fell on to his favoured left foot inside the six-yard box.

Instead of blasting the ball home, he tried to steer it past McDonnell, but only succeeded in scooping the ball straight into the keeper’s waiting arms.

McGregor should have done better when he chased a ball from Northmore but he took too long and allowed the full-back time to clear.

Ben Wells then wasted a couple of chances for the home side by blasting wide from 20 yards.

City brought on Jemiah Richards in place of Owen on 76 minutes but, playing alone up front, the big man could only attempt to halt the stem of Weston attacks.

The only worthwhile effort from City during the second-half was a free-kick taken by Jamie Price which flew harmlessly wide.