WORCESTER City skipper Carl Heeley has issued a public apology to the club and its fans for what he describes as a "moment of madness".

Heeley was sent off in last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Dover for two bookable offences.

But he has admitted that he was the guilty party in the earlier incident that saw team-mate Jon Holloway red-carded.

And he has written to the Football Association pointing out that Holloway was innocent in a bid to clear his colleague's name -- even if Heeley faces punishment himself.

Heeley said: "It was a moment of madness and I really regret it because it was out of character for me. Tempers were raised for a few seconds and I reacted.

"I have let the club down and let my team-mates down because it probably ended our chances of getting back into the game."

Feelings ran high throughout the game, which seemed to be a hangover from a controversial clash at St George's Lane in January, when Dover goalkeeper and assistant manager Paul Hyde was accused of making racist remarks at City defender Paul Carty.

Last Saturday Heeley was involved in an incident with Hyde following an apparent headbutt on City midfielder John Snape by Dover's Danny Chapman, who was dismissed.

But Holloway was sent off at the same time in what seemed a case of mistaken identity, and Heeley only received a yellow card although he was shown another a couple of minutes later for a foul.

"I have seen the video footage," said Heeley, "and at the time I thought Jon had been involved in something else.

"But when he explained afterwards what he had been sent off for, I was quite sure that it was me that should have been sent off and not Jon.

"I have come clean and have written to the FA saying that I was the player who pushed the Dover 'keeper and not Jon Holloway."

Referee Michael O'Keefe has agreed to view the video and City are hopeful that Holloway will be cleared.

Heeley is bitterly disappointed that he will now miss up to three games at the start of next season through suspension, having just completed his third successive season without missing a league game.

But he vows that he will not get involved in such an incident again.

He added: "Whatever punishment is dished out I have to accept it because I do deserve it. It is the last time you will ever see me dismissed for something that is within my control."