A NIGHTMARE second half saw Downton chuck away a precious lead and finish with ten-men against leading hotshots Team Solent.

The Robins were left scratching their heads after their two-goal advantage fizzled away, before losing Paul Gulliver to a second yellow card and the contest in the final third, with the eventual score being 3-2.

Craig Tyson volleyed home the opener and Ben Vincent doubled their lead from a free-kick shortly after.

The visitors reduced the arrears a minute before the interval as their long-throw specialist hoisted the ball into the box and, after a defensive mix up, it bounced into the net.

The visitors came out strongly in the second half and got the better of Downton’s tiring legs. Dan Savage was caught in possession and the error left his defensive teammates backpedalling, allowing the visitors to restore parity.

Striker Gulliver was later dismissed for a second bookable offence, which left Downton enduring the remainder of the match with a numerical disadvantage.

And in the final 20 minutes the comeback was complete as the hosts’ hard work counted for nothing.

Solent retained their fourpoint lead at the top of Wessex Division One, while Downton remain 12th.