The match official sent off four players - two from each side - dished out a further 11 yellow cards and awarded a very dubious penalty that allowed the home side to claim a share of the spoils after goals from Ashley Stott and Nathan Joynes had put the Shaymen in control.

Hermuzi was verbally abused as he left the field and had liquid thrown at him as he walked down the tunnel.

And Jemson, one of only seven outfield starters to stay out of the notebook, was left to reflect on a bizarre first game in charge.

"I am stunned," said Jemson. "If he'd have refereed the pre season game there would have only been one person left on the pitch.

"That was quite feisty and today there were a few niggles but it did not warrant four reds cards and goodness knows how many bookings.

"I am not going to go down the route of blaming the officials because they have a hard job, but the penalty was an absolute disgrace.

"You could clearly see by the direction the ball went that Lincoln won the ball."

Jemson added that he had been delighted by the response he had got from the players having only been put in charge three days earlier following the sacking of Jim Vince.

"I thought the lads were magnificent," he said. "Obviously it has been a strange week

"I asked the players for a reaction and they gave me one.

"They were bitterly disappointed because we felt we had done enough to win the game.

"I am pleased, but still in a state of shock."

Stott fired Town level with his first goal for two months after promising Jemson he would get on the scoresheet.

"I have had one to ones with the players and Ashley told me he was going to score," said Jemson.

"He went out there and deserved his goal. It was a great finish.

"I have told him he is a good players and he responded in the best possible way."

With Curzon Ashton also picking up a point - Philip Edghill's 90th minute strike giving them a 2-2 draw at Durham - there was no change in the battle for the play offs with the Manchester side, who are at the Shay on Monday, still a point clear of Town with a game in hand.

"Three points would have been the perfect scenario, but this was a battling point," said Jemson.

"We will continue to battle until it is mathematically impossible for us to get in the play offs.

"We did not start the game particularly well because we were playing a new system again but we got crosses in, had shots and I thought we looked dangerous.

"We went 2-1 up and I thought we would cruise it then the soap opera started."

TOP OF THE TABLE
P W D L F A Pts
Durham City 36 21 12 3 81 37 75
Skelmersdale 35 22 8 5 80 48 74
Colwyn Bay 36 22 6 8 67 44 69
Newcastle BS 34 19 8 7 84 42 65
Curzon Ashton36 18 8 10 63 38 62
Halifax Town 37 17 10 10 68 48 61
Lancaster C 37 18 6 13 62 62 60
Ossett A 36 16 9 11 62 56 57
Bamber B 37 16 4 17 67 71 52