Football

SALISBURY City's slender 1-0 win at Ashford Town was marred by some bizarre refereeing that resulted in four red cards being brandished, including one for opposition manager Tim Thorogood, writes Ryan Lovejoy.

Ironically it was the same official responsible for sending off Roger Emms and Stuart Brown earlier this year in City's 3-2 defeat at Sittingbourne.

Emms and Andy Cook both had chances before new signing Leigh Phillips scored his first goal for the Whites since joining from Lymington & New Milton.

His 24th-minute strike led to the first two sendings off, when Simon Elliott complained that he had been held down in the build-up. He was dismissed for comments allegedly made to the assistant referee before Thorogood was ordered from his dugout for similar comments to the same official.

Two minutes before half-time, Martin Anderson's foul on Tyronne Bowers produced his second booking and the Kent side were down to nine men.

Unfortunately for City, they failed to capitalise on their two-man advantage.

Salisbury's Darren Crook became the last player to see red when he was deemed guilty of an elbowing offence on 66 minutes.

Bemused Whites boss Nick Holmes said: "The referee set out his own stall from the start. I didn't think it was necessary (to send so many players off) but at least he was consistent.

"I can't understand some of these referees. I have to be careful what I say, but it's the same one from the Sittingbourne game. Enough said."

Holmes added: "Darren Crook was sent off for a supposed elbow. I didn't know his elbows were that sharp, because the opposing player made a bit of a meal of it."

Holmes was more concerned that his side had not made the most of the situation.

"The sendings off destroyed us football wise. When it was 11 versus 11, we played very well.

"But in the second half we were embarrassingly poor at times. Everything they did was half a second too slow.

"At least Leigh Phillips did well to nick in at the near post from Scott Bartlett's cross. He has fitted in very quickly with the lads and hopefully there is more to come."

The victory was City's first of the month and with other teams in the promotion hunt slipping up, the welcome three point haul lifted them back to third place.

Holmes, whose side still face having three points deducted if they lose their appeal after being found guilty of fielding an ineligible player, added: "I said before the game that I would settle for playing poorly and winning, and that's what we got in the second half."