NICK Holmes refused to comment on the post-match scenes at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium, which left Salisbury City player/coach Tommy Widdrington with a bloody nose after an alleged head butt by Rushden & Diamonds boss Garry Hill.

The hosts had netted an equaliser two minutes into added time to spoil Hill's hopes of leaving Old Sarum with all three points after Jon Challinor had put them in front early in the second half.

Holmes said: "I'll leave that one to the officials - they saw what happened after the final whistle and I'll make no comment until I hear from them."

Both sides had played out the final 20 minutes with ten men.

The dismissal of City's Mike Fowler for an alleged two-footed tackle and Rushden's Curtis Woodhouse for his reaction to the challenge, which prompted a 21-man melee, had sparked an otherwise dour game into life.

Whites just edged the first half, though clear chances to break the deadlock were few and far between.

They made a lively start, forcing a corner inside 90 seconds. Fowler's kick from the right was cleared straight back to him, but he immediately re-routed the ball back into the box where Robbie Matthews rose well to win a header, only for the Northamptonshire side to clear for a throw.

The former Football League side forced a corner of their own moments later when City skipper Aaron Cook took the safety-first option.

On 12 minutes Fowler had a promising shot but the sting was taken out of it by a weighty deflection.

There were pockets of neat possession by the hosts in front of another sizeable Ray Mac crowd of more than 1,500, but Rushden defended well and in numbers to prevent a clear route to goal.

Ryan Clarke had to be alert on 19 minutes, saving at the post after a Rushden effort looped goalwards.

St Leonards referee Mr Rodda produced a yellow card on 27 minutes when Curtis Osano caught Andy Sandell late. Fowler and Jon Bass linked well from the free kick, but again the danger was snuffed out by a resilient Rushden defence.

Andy Burgess also saw yellow shortly after, complaining once too often for Rodda's liking.

Woodhouse might have done better for the visitors just a moment later when a swift Rushden break led to him heading wide at the far post.

Whites strung some neat passes together in the middle of the park as Darrell Clarke, Wayne Turk, Matthews and Bass looked to stretch their opponents. Clarke's cross appeared to be handled, but the appeal fell on deaf ears as referee Rodda waved play on.

Clarke, Matthews and Tubbs linked well on 39 minutes but the ball wouldn't fall kindly for Tubbs who couldn't get a shot off.

Rodda allowed play to continue after Matthews had been fouled - Tubbs bursting into the box, but skewing his shot left of the target.

City finished the half the stronger and were soon back on the attack at the start of the second, but by 48 minutes were behind.

A solid Bass tackle sparked a move involving Fowler, Sandell, Clarke and Matthews, which ended with Matthews firing over.

Another lively attack from a Sandell throw-in resulted in the ball being cleared only as far as Turk, who picked out Darrell Clarke's run - Clarke slipped the ball past Rushden custodian Paul Bastock, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

However, Whites were caught napping from the free kick, launched long to Challinor, who made the most of the open space allowed him, before beating Ryan Clarke.

City pressed immediately, Fowler releasing Tubbs on the edge of the box, but he was floored by a clumsy challenge by Chris Hope, who duly became the third Rushden player to be booked.

Fowler took the free kick but it was delivered far too deep and another opportunity had passed City by.

On the hour mark Wayne Hatswell had to make a telling headed clearance to clear a Sandell cross at the expense of a corner.

Ryan Clarke then made a good save on 64 minutes to deny Simeon Jackson.

Holmes made a double substitution on 67 minutes - Marvin Brown and Liam Feeney replacing Matt Tubbs and Darrell Clarke - but was soon re-organising again after the dismissal of Fowler for the challenge on Woodhouse.

Once order had been restored, referee Rodda consulted with his assistants before producing two red cards.

Whites continued the hunt for the equaliser and Feeney had a fine effort turned around for a corner after another promising build-up involving Sandell, Brown and Matt Robinson.

City made another change on 76 minutes - Luke Prince replacing Bass.

Brown headed over when well placed from a Robinson cross and shortly afterwards had a strong shout for a penalty turned down when he was pushed in the box after Matthews headed goalwards from a Cook cross.

It looked as if it wasn't going to be City's day when another move ended with Matthews' shot being held by Bastock.

Despite a three-and-a-half minute delay for the two dismissals and five substitutions being made in the half, the fourth official signalled a mere four minutes of added time.

Rushden made their final change at the start of it - Lee Tomlin on for Michael Rankine.

Within two minutes though, Whites were deservedly back on level terms, Brown making no mistake in front of goal after Matthews had connected with a Feeney cross.

But with only three minutes of the additional four played, Rodda brought proceedings to a somewhat premature end.

However, jubilation at City maintaining their unbeaten home record was soon soured by more ugly scenes on the pitch.

Rushden boss Garry Hill was at the heart of the altercation that left Widdrington with blood on his face and stewards rushing to prevent any further unpleasantness.

Nick Holmes insisted Whites had been good value for at least a point, but accepted the game will not be remembered for the quality of football on show.

"It was a poor game," said Holmes, "But that's the way that sides managed by Garry Hill play and, to be fair to him, he's had success wherever he's gone and got promotions.

"Whether he can do it in the Blue Square Premier, we'll have to wait and see."

"I thought we went to sleep badly once and we got punished for it.

"Whatever else happened, I asked our back four to battle away, which I didn't think they'd done so well at Torquay and I thought they did that today.

"I just felt there was that one moment early in the second half when a couple of them switched off and it caused a goal."

10:04am Sunday 9th September 2007

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