Sidbury United saw their long unbeaten home record ended in controversial circumstances when they went down by the odd goal in three to Bow AAC.

Byes Lane boss Jeremy Schofield, not know as one to take issue with officialdom, was not happy post match after his side’s defeat.

He said: “I cannot fault my player’s one jot. They gave their all and, for 55 minutes of this match we were the dominant force and I could see no way we’d not take, at the very least, a share of the spoils. Sadly I cannot be so praising of the person charged with officiating the game. It’s a tough and thankless task referring a game, and, to be fair to the man in the middle, I do thank their job becomes almost impossible when they do their job in the full knowledge that they are being assessed, as was the referee in this game.”

Schofield continued: “The whole contest changed with what we felt was a very harsh straight red card issued to Tom Matthews. With 11-versus-11 I fancied us, but at this level, lose a player and you are in danger and we ended up being beaten by the narrowest of margins and I am convinced that, had we kept 11 on the pitch, we’d have seen the game out. In hindsight I would probably do things differently next time for when Tom went off I think now I ought to have withdrawn a striker and thrown on extra legs in midfield. However, I stuck to my principles and continued to take the game to them.”

He added: “hand on heart, had the match official not been under the scrutiny of an assessor I don’t think he’d have issued a straight red card, but he did and we have to get on with it.”

United had led thanks to a first half goal from Danny Green and, such was their control of proceedings that goalkeeper Jamie Harvey barely touched the ball for the first half. It stayed that way for the opening exchanges of the second half, but everything changed when Matthews saw straight red for a challenge in the middle third of the pitch.

Bow levelled and won the points with a second goal five minutes from time.

Schofield said: “OK, so the home record has gone. I am not that bothered as it was becoming a heavy burden and I know my team is a good one. We can all learn from this reversal and bounce back. We have Budleigh next; weather permitting, before the big one, a titanic clash with Tiverton Town, so the season still offers plenty for me and my side.”