MANAGER John Snape blasted “amateurish” referee Peter Woodfield after Worcester City endured last-ditch heartbreak at Ilkeston Town.

Tom Marshall’s swirling cross-shot in the fourth minute of added time ensured the Midland Football League pacesetters sank City 2-1 on Saturday.

The visitors had led through Jordan Harrison but the Premier Division’s second-highest scorer Elliott Reeves levelled with a deflected effort seconds after City had been prevented from making a substitution.

Reeves had been forced away from goal but turned into space around a backtracking Mat Birley, the player Snape wished to replace, before getting off the shot.

Having restored parity Ilkeston pushed forward with the wind at their backs and finally broke City’s resistance at the death – with more frustration following.

Ilkeston’s celebrations riled Worcester with Luke English involved in the melee that followed and assistant manager Ashley Vincent sent from the technical area.

“We were very disappointed with their first goal,” said Snape.

“The assistant had flagged for us to make a substitution and we were making the change, Mat Birley had a tight groin and would have been coming off.

“We saw the flag up, we were expecting to make the change and big K (Kaoui Attoumani) was ready but the referee played on. On the back of a few decisions in the first half I thought it was amateurish.

“The game was very intense and difficult to referee but I just did not know what he was thinking. We were set up to make the change and from that passage of play they score. It makes you mad.

“They picked it up in the last 20 minutes but the goal gave them the momentum.

“The disappointment after the second goal was that the substitutes all ran on the pitch, no other reason.

"We did not stop the cross, we haven't headed it or found a way to stop it and we will review the footage of that.

"The celebrations after caused a ruckus with a couple of our players.

“I love excitement and passion but every single one of them was on the pitch and that incensed us, there were no Worcester substitutes or staff on the pitch.

“The rules of the game say they should be punished and he (Woodfield) did not followed the letter of the law, I didn’t know what the referee was doing to be honest.

“Ash pointed that out to him and said some choice words which led to him being removed from the dugout.

“He was wrong to say what he did, I totally agree. He is usually cool and calm and thinks about the things he says. What happened was out of character but we were gutted and the situation didn't help.”

Despite the grumbles, Snape still declared himself pleased with a promising performance from his young side in the pressure cooker of a New Manor Ground filled with more than 700 fans.

“We changed a few of the personnel from last weekend because I want us to get it down and play a bit more,” he added.

“I want us to be entertaining and to see if the younger lads coming through are good enough between now and the end of the season.

"I thought they showed quality in abundance. After the first 10 minutes some of the passages of play were outstanding from the young lads and I didn’t think Ilkeston had an answer for it.

“We were probably guilty of missing that final chance, we squandered two or three excellent openings in the first half.

“In fairness to them they had some chances too. They hit the bar but we came in at half-time really pleased with the display.

“The second half got away from us a bit but there were some excellent performances.”