Salisbury extended their winning run to seven league games on Saturday with an uninspiring victory over Fleet at Old Sarum. Refereeing decisions caused controversy again, with Matt Tubbs seeing red for two cautions, both for dissent to the assistant referee.
Tubbs was dismissed soon after the hour, with the visitors' Craig Anstey already having walked for throwing a punch at Wayne Turk in a scruffy second period.
Whites boss Nick Holmes said: "Matt didn't swear and I find it hard to understand why he was sent off. He has to be more careful though. Red and yellow cards are becoming the talking points after a lot of games, and it should be about football."
Andy Cook was taking a sports medicine course so was unavailable, but Steve Strong returned after injury. Matt Davies was also back after a one match suspension but he had to settle for a place on the bench.
Tubbs was put through by Strong in the second minute but he couldn't beat Calvin Sparshatt. Wayne Turk also tested the goalkeeper and Josh Thomas went close.
Adam Wallace netted the only goal with a near post header from Gary Funnell's corner on 16 minutes, but City could not add to their advantage. Funnell, Stuart James and three of the Fleet team picked up yellow cards before the interval.
Salisbury survived a scare early in the second half when John Purches' sliced clearance went over his own bar, and Turk fired just over. The two red cards followed but they did not signal an improvement in play. Wallace shot wide and Strong's overhead kick was saved, before the latter also put wide. In stoppage time Ed Hare missed with a free header for Fleet.
Holmes said: "It was a very frustrating game. We played reasonably well in the first half but it went sour after half time. We got ourselves into trouble and we hope it was just a blip in terms of performance. We have played well recently but not even the best teams in the world can turn it on every game."
The reserves beat Brockenhurst 2-1 last Wednesday, although it was not a league fixture. Stuart Lindsay and Aaron Turner scored the goals. Mat Davies, Leigh Phillips, Matt Holmes and Darren Crook all featured, but Holmes picked up a heel injury.
The reserve match scheduled for last night (Wednesday) at home to Bath City was postponed due to Bath being unable to raise a side.
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