Eagle sees red as Lowestoft Town suffer another defeat on the road

Lowestoft Town suffered a second successive away defeat in the Vanarama Conference North as a goal in each half handed hosts Worcester the points.

But they almost clawed their way back in the dying moments, netting in injury time and then going close to snatching a draw with the final shot of an extraordinary game that also saw both sides have a man sent off.

The home side shaded the opening exchanges and should have taken the lead after just three minutes when excellent work by Dan Nti picked out Sean Geddes but he missed the target from eight yards. Six minutes later Nti put an effort over the crossbar from close-range following good work from the home side's powerful targetman Mike Symons.

The first sending off came on 13 minutes. Worcester's Ellis Deeney slid in with both feet to win the ball from Ross Jarvis and referee Daniel Meeson had no hesitation in showing the City skipper the red card.

Lifted by the dismissal, Chris Henderson fizzed a shot wide for the Trawlerboys and Shaun Bammant forced a save. But Lowestoft's best chance of the half came on 25 minutes when a long-range Rob Eagle shot was pushed away by Nathan Vaughan and Bammant could only direct the rebound straight at the grateful keeper.

City remained a potent force in attack and Nti drilled a shot inches over the crossbar after collecting a long ball upfield from his keeper. And it was ten-man City who opened the scoring eight minutes before the break. Connor Gater's left-wing cross picked out the unmarked Geddes and the diminutive midfielder headed past Ashlee Jones from eight yards.

The home side continued to have the better of things early in the second half with Symons having an effort deflected just over the bar and Nti hitting one straight at the keeper.

And Lowestoft's task was made even more difficult when they had Eagle sent off for a late challenge on City defender George Williams.

To make matters worse, the home side doubled their lead from the subsequent free-kick, Danny Jackman's set-piece finding Nti who headed home.

Henderson let fly at the other end with a 25-yarder that had to be tipped over the bar but that second goal appeared to knock the life out of the Trawlerboys and it was the home side who went closest to adding to the scoreline when late replacement Daniel Udoh forced Jones into a decent save five minutes from time.

But with the 90 minutes up, the tireless Henderson reduced the arrears when he rose to head in Adam Smith's free-kick.

And moments later Henderson let fly with another shot from distance but this time it flew just too high.

Lowestoft: Jones, Hayles (Marsden 84), Smith, Okay (Radomski 68), Haynes-Brown, Gaughran, Henderson, Jarvis, Louis (Fisk 56), Bammant, Eagle. Subs (not used): Marsden.