HIGHWORTH Town’s FA Vase quarter-final replay victory was marred as violence erupted after the final whistle at Tadcaster Albion.

After the Worthians striker Callum Parsons’ fired the Wiltshire side into a two-legged semi-final with North Shields, fans from both clubs spilled on to the pitch.

It was been claimed by Highworth that keeper Gary Stevens, who saved a first half penalty, was assaulted by a home supporter that led to a mass violent brawl taking place on the pitch.

Stevens himself was caught in violent exchanges with Tadcaster striker Carl Stewart, while the Worthians chairman Rohan Haines was also left with a bloody nose but refused to comment on how it happened.

However, Tadcaster chairman Matthew Gore told the Advertiser that a Highworth supporter had been throwing coins during the first half and then goaded the home supporters before the trouble erupted.

Police in attendance at the i2i Stadium told the Advertiser that no complaints had been lodged and no arrests had been made.

Highworth, who added another £4,500 to the £9,900 in prize money that they have already, eventually got to celebrate a victory that very few people expected.

Worthians’ manager John Fisher alleged: “To come and punch the goalkeeper is just unacceptable.

“He has got a big fat lip, he is distraught over it, but I said that lip will go down.

“It is a shame, but you can’t legislate for supporters.”

Haines added: “It was a massive day for the club but a few things at the end may have spoilt it, but to come here against all odds, in their backyard when no-one gave us a chance is fantastic.”

But Tadcaster chairman Gore said: “Unfortunately during the game there had been an incident of coin throwing from Highworth – he was a young lad.

“Then there was another incident with the same individual at half-time and at the end of the game I saw a lot of fans from Highworth walk around to where it was easy to come on to the pitch.

“When the final whistle goes they come on and celebrate, I understand that they are excited that they have won the game.

“But the same individual who was doing the coin throwing came running over to our fans, he was goading them, got involved with a player, your players got involved, our players got involved, the (Highworth) officials got involved, we (Tadcaster officials) got involved and some people got hurt.

“The Highworth chairman got hit, the Highworth players got hit and our players got hit, your fans got hit and some of ours got hit – it was ugly.”​