AN unforeseen sending off triggered a wretched second half for ten-man Bemerton Heath Harlequins, who were left nursing a torrid 6-1 defeat to Moneyfields.

Sixteen-year-old Alfie Rutherford put the visitors two nil up before Thomas Moseley finished off a good move to put Bemerton back into the game.

Bemerton came out roaring in the second half and were well on top. Skipper Jack Slade thought he had earned himself a penalty when he was tripped in the box but the referee waved play on.

With the hosts still rueing that decision, a bizarre incident changed the game entirely.

Liam Hutchinson was scythed down from behind by Rutherford, already on a second yellow card. But after both linesmen awarded a drop ball, Hutchinson was dismissed for violent conduct, baffling everyone inside the Western Way ground.

The numerical d i s a dvanta g e was exploited by Moneyfields as Steve Hutchings notched up a penalty and an individual goal, Alfie Rutherford completed his hat-trick and substitute Declan Seiden scored at the death to complete the heavy scoreline.

Angry Ian Chalk described the sending off as the “worst decision ever”.

He said: “The referee had blown up for a foul to us and Alfie Rutherford would have picked up a second yellow card and gone off. How he managed to swing that around and send Liam off I will never know and to finish it all off by restarting the game with a drop ball is complete madness!

“The decision to send Liam off has to be the worst ever.

“The players lost belief and confidence after this. And to make matters worse from the wrongly awarded drop ball, they’ve got the ball in our box immediately and he's given a penalty for a push on Steve Hutchings.”

  • Bemerton lost 2-1 at home to Folland Sports on Tuesday night.