Bradford Park Avenue 0

Worcester City 1

A disputed penalty separated the sides at Horsfall Stadium last night and left a depleted Avenue with a near impossible task of avoiding relegation back to the UniBond League.

Avenue had sought to redress the balance after losing to Worcester City less than a fortnight ago.

But after 90 minutes last night, they felt they should have lost neither game. They ended up with no points from six against a side that are safe in the Conference North.

Worcester, who were delighted with the result at the final whistle last night, were fortunate to edge both games.

Avenue knew they would be without leading scorer Steve Oleksewycz but they also had on-loan Bradford City striker Daniel Ekoku missing.

The two forwards were in hospital the night before the game.

Bradford boss Carl Shutt dusted off his boots once more to step into the breach. He and youngster Tom Greaves, who had scored in Saturday's 1-0 win over Lancaster City that took Avenue off the bottom of the table, were forced to lead the line.

Assistant manager Ian Ruscrow ran the show from the dug-out and claimed two incidents changed the game - the penalty award and the injury to midfielder Jonathon Holland on the half-hour mark.

"The penalty should not have been given, Pete Naylor has come across to deal with the ball and it has hit the top of his shoulder," insisted Ruscrow.

"If that was hand-ball then one of their players should have been penalised near the corner flag, he was almost playing basketball.

"But the referees won't give those outside the area because it is not denying anyone a scoring opportunity.

"It doesn't seem to matter that it is the same offence - just in a different part of the pitch.

"The other thing that went against us was Jonathon Holland having to come off with a recurrence of a calf injury.

"He assured us it had cleared up. I think he was running the game in midfield before that and we lost some influence after he had gone."

Shutt had hit a good first- time half-volley from 22 yards to bring the game's first save but the visitors had gone close through Adam Webster's glancing header that struck the inside of the post and rebounded out.

Then, on 20 minutes came the contentious penalty which sealed Avenue's fate.

As Naylor shuffled in front of the forward he was marking, the ball bounced off his upper arm.

Webster stroked the spot-kick home.

Worcester dropped back and protected their lead, but they still looked dangerous on the break.

Chances fell to both sides but they were few and far between due to pedantic refereeing.

If it had been a scoring draw it would have reflected the proceedings.

There were more heads in hands moments than hearts in mouths situations.

Thomas Curle was involved after Holland's departure and he did well but Shutt and Greaves were still isolated.