FROSTY conditions, struggling to see a way forward and the crowd ducking for cover created a unique challenge for Worcester City – on the pitch at least.

The unfathomable weather that has blighted the schedule again struck in Leicestershire to add to the turbulence of recent events.

But the flurries of snow, as sizeable as they were, got punctuated by some entertaining football and no shortage of commitment from both sides on Saturday.

John Snape’s men deserve plenty of credit for not allowing storms off the pitch or blizzards while on it to become an excuse, even if the 1-1 draw against a Midland Premier struggle was not the desired result.

The reason for that was the only area for serious criticism at Loughborough – the inability to take chances.

An off-day for leading marksman Dave Reynolds and the recent exit of Lee Hughes exposed a flaw that City will need to remedy to avoid faltering in the final furlong.

Snow-covered eyes still spotted passes, skidding feet still made them but the finishing touch was either not there or beset by ill fortune at vital times.

City could have left empty-handed had keeper James Stallan enjoyed a slice of luck of his own having accurately read the spot-kick that saw Mark Danks ensure a share of the spoils.

That said, leaving with one point was injustice enough for City.

There was an open flow to a match played at a brisk pace from the outset and a 30-second spell just past the 10-minute mark shaped the rest of the match.

An offside flag denied Worcester the opener as James Baldwin cut back for Alex Tomkinson to lash high inside the near post.

Loughborough broke with Jordan Connor feeding Ben Last to squeeze low past Nathan Vaughan to give the students something to hold on to.

City seemed unaffected and stayed on the front foot with Mat Birley firing straight at Stallan and then crossing for Reynolds who failed to connect with a bicycle kick.

There was little wrong with Nathan Hayward’s 20-yard rocket that Stallan tipped over 25 minutes in with Birley again denied by the outstretched foot of the Loughborough custodian as he scrambled across his line.

More chances came and went as conditions worsened and supporters began to flurry back into the warmth of the impressive glass-fronted complex.

The snow had abated by the start of the second half but in spite of playing against the wind City kept probing.

New boy Nick Turton came on but it was Reynolds who went close to an equaliser, pelting the crossbar from a Tomkinson delivery on the hour.

Birley was setting nearly every City move in motion and fittingly had a hand in the build-up to the penalty that levelled matters with substitute Danks nudging back to Tomkinson who was brought down by Last.

There were plenty of puffed-out cheeks on show as Danks’s effort crept under Stallan yet despite a couple of scares of their own making City looked good for a winner from there.

Jordan Stoddart hit the upright from a Danks corner with midweek recruit Joel Ambalu fluffing the rebound with two minutes remaining.

Tomkinson’s floated free-kick was crying out to be crashed home but Brad Birch could not generate enough power to beat Stallan as the clock passed 90 and it proved to be the last hurrah.