CARL Heeley was left seething by a controversial decision that cost his side a share of the spoils against Vanarama National League North high-fliers Nuneaton.

City’s joint manager looked on in disbelief as referee Darren Strain allowed a quick free-kick to be taken while still counting out the ten yards for the Worcester wall.

The ball struck an arm and Rob Duffy’s penalty handed the points to the visitors yesterday in a 1-0 scoreline.

Heeley said: “The referee was the difference. He gives a free-kick and books Ellis Deeney so the game is dead.

“The game has stopped so he needs to blow his whistle to start it again.

“He then starts pacing out to get our wall back, he gets to three steps, they take a quick free-kick and he gives a penalty.

"The game is dead. It was a poor decision.

“It wasn’t a difficult game and there were no poor tackles.

"There was no real tough decisions to make.

“They were just basic things, but it is done now."

City rarely troubled the Nuneaton keeper and the game looked to be heading to a stalemate until Duffy’s penalty just short of the hour.

But Worcester’s hopes of grabbing an equaliser were not helped when midfielder Sean Geddes was sent off with 25 minutes to go for comments made to the referee.

It is the second time the player has seen red this season and is the sixth sending off for the Aggborough side – by far the most in National League North.

Heeley said: “We will deal with that internally. I have got to find the exact wording, but the fact he has been sent off for basically chatting back to the referee is something I am not happy about.

“Ultimately you can’t control situations when people have rushes of blood for whatever that might be.

“Whether that’s for two bookings, a retaliation or something they say, it’s out of your control.”

Nuneaton defender Jordan Keane was also dismissed for picking up a second yellow card for a petulant push on Alex Gudger.

Despite the result and the manner of the defeat, Heeley found something positive.

“One positive is that I believe our FA Cup opponents, Gateshead, have watched us.

“It was a frustrating afternoon because I know you have off days when you struggle to get into your stride.

“But it was really flat and there was no spark.

“The crowd was flat and we were flat – it had 0-0 written all over it but we have lost it on a poor decision.

“So as much as we were elated the other evening, we’re a bit dejected because we have not really got anywhere near the capabilities that we can.

“We haven’t worked the goalkeeper but, that said, we have not really created anything.

“Neither side has created clear cut opportunities.

“The passing was poor, it was sloppy, there was no crispness, there was no movement, there was no energy.”

Heeley added: “It is frustrating when that happens and it is difficult to explain why.

“But it’s a game and we move on to next week.

“There is no good dwelling on things.”