GEORGE Forsyth’s wild penalty summed up Worcester City’s fortunes in a drab 0-0 draw at South Normanton Athletic.

The City ace drove his spot-kick high and wide with 19 minutes to play after home captain David Leigh had been sent off for pushing a goal-bound effort against the crossbar with his hand.

Worcester had hardly been at their best but lost their way from there and the 10 men looked more likely to pinch a winner during the dying stages and even had a credible penalty shout of their own waved away.

City had occasional moments rather than sustained pressure early on with Jordan Harrison failing to connect with a couple of close-range headers from inviting deliveries.

Jordan Stoddart had his head in his hands after glancing off target at the far post from Liam Lockett’s corner 28 minutes in before Athletic came into the game, getting at City down the sides without carving out a clear chance.

There match ebbed and flowed without much incident after the interval but the visitors became increasingly ragged in the heat of battle.

Keeper Dan Jezeph was on hand to confidently claim his fair share of crosses and the Shiners might have landed a blow 66 minutes in.

Leigh drove forward from full-back with Ross Haig having his initial effort charged down at the far post by Joel Caines before shanking wide the rebound.

The flashpoint came when Leigh, stationed on the post, could not fight his instincts on the line but Forsyth’s penalty was handsomely high and wide.

A City onslaught was anticipated but South Normanton looked the more dangerous team with Oli Cox rippling the roof of the net having headed back across goal Haig's clipped centre.

Harrison’s dash inside from the left ended with City substitute Josh Hesson lashing off target at the far post with six minutes to go.

That was it for Worcester’s surge, though, with Jezeph saving well when Michael Dunne was gifted a chance from a wayward Caines header and again from Haig’s low curler across goal moments later.

Dunne wanted a penalty at the death having been leaned into by Caines but the appeals were waved away.

South Normanton: Hall, Leigh, Cawley, Nadine, O Cox, Guy, Dennis (Haig, 60), Tyson, Garnett (Dunne, 85), S Cox, Norcross.

Subs: Blades, Turner, Hanslow.

City: Jezeph, English (Hesson, 60), Weir, Forsyth, Stoddart, Caines, Baldwin (Evans, 79), Withington, Harrison, Lockett (Willis, 72), Osbourne. Unused subs: Bates, Gilder (g/k).

Attendance: 100.