A LAST-gasp penalty from Ethan Moore earned Worcester City a deserved 1-1 draw against Histon in the Skrill Conference North on Saturday (March 29).
The striker cooly slotted home two minutes into injury time after Harry O’Malley had earlier put the visitors ahead against the run of place.
Callum Kitcha made a string of fine saves for the Stutes to keep his side in the game and Salim Relizani make their task even harder when he received his marching orders for two bookable offences.
Wayne Thomas thought he had stolen the points with the last kick of the game but the linesman’s flag said otherwise, leaving City in 15th in the league.
Mid-way through the first half Martin Devaney stormed down the wing and picked out Daniel Nti, but Worcester’s top-scorer was denied by the onrushing Kitcha.
Man-mountain Aaron Brown was next to try his luck when Ebby Nelson-Addy picked him out inside the box, however he lacked the necessary composure and sliced his effort wide.
Two more chances fell Nti’s way before the end of the first period, firstly drilling his one on one straight at Kitcha before his 25-yard free-kick was somehow tipped away by Histon’s number one.
Martin Devaney was next to find out the difficulty of beating Kitcha after the break when substitute Aaron Farrell picked him out with an inviting ball but the wingers effort was phenomenally kept out.
And then, completely against the run of play, the visitors took the lead after 70 minutes when O’Malley rose highest from an inviting free-kick to direct his header past Leigh Bedwell.
The goal only seemed to inspire City, and Kitcha, who this time stopped Farrell from getting on the score sheet with yet more goalkeeping heroics.
With ten minutes to go Histon’s backs really were to the walls when Relizani picked up two yellow cards in a matter of minutes, the first for time wasting and the second after going in late on Bedwell.
The Blue and Whites pressure finally paid off when Michael Built went through the back of Graham Hutchison and substitute Moore stepped up to pull the scores level.
Yet more drama was to follow as make-shift centre forward Thomas put the ball in the back of the net with the last kick of the game, but the linesman’s flag spoiled any hope of the three points.
Assistant manager Matt Gardiner said: “In the circumstances we were happy with a point, I just wish the goal came a little bit earlier because I thought we would have gone on to win it.
“Their goal keeper was man of the match, but we could have been three or four up in the first half with a little bit more composure. We were definitely value for the draw, but we probably should have won it.”
Picture by Rob Bazley
