MANAGER Scott Rickards said Atherstone Town “must put things right” after fans threw beer cans and allegedly racially abused Worcester City staff.

The 1-1 draw in the last 16 of the FA Vase was marred by ugly scenes throughout the game.

READ MORE | Racism and lit cigarette allegedly thrown at City bench by Atherstone fans

READ MORE | As it happened - Atherstone 1 City 1 

After a lit pyrotechnic was thrown onto the pitch in the first half, things became heated when items were thrown at City boss Ashley Vincent and his staff. 

A Worcester News correspondent saw plastic glasses containing alcohol and cans thrown towards the away technical area with Vincent claiming assistant Marlon Walters had been hit by a lit cigarette butt. 

Walters later took to Twitter to allege he had been racially abused. 

Rickards said: “I think the fact they were directed straight at the away dugout wasn’t great.

“The club try to put on stewards to prevent trouble which, as far as I’m aware, there was no physical trouble.

“I know Ashley and Marlon and I know they’re straight-up people, they have made an allegation of racist comments which the club will be disappointed with.

“We want to try and portray a good image on the pitch with the way we play and we also want to portray a good image for non-league football which we have done to date.

"This kind of tarnishes it which is a shame but it’s something we have to put right and things must be put in place if we go through to the next round, that’s for sure.”

Vincent and Walters were visibly distressed as the dreadful events unfolded. 

“It got very heated at one point,” Rickards added.

“He (Vincent) got quite angry with some fans behind who were being quite threatening towards him and rightly so, he’s not going to stand for that.

“Realistically, I think he passed boiling point and he lost it a little bit so it kind of all took it away from the game at that point. At that stage there was a lot of stop-start.

“The cup drags people out. You do get occasional fans who turn up just for these games and with that, you do get drama.”

The game went to extra-time after Marco Adaggio’s second-half goal cancelled out Josh Ruff’s openener.

The replay will take place on Wednesday and Rickards hopes fans will be better behaved at the Victoria Ground.

“Just enjoy the occasion for what it is,” he said.

“Come and watch the game and enjoy it. It’s easy when you’re at home to attract everyone.

“The fans that are there Wednesday will be hardcore ones who are driving 50 miles to the game so they will want to be there to see us win and the environment will be better.”