Eight-man AFC Dunstable lose out to Saints in fiery encounter

AFC Dunstable’s miserable Molten Spartan SML Premier Division form continued with double defeat this week.

Eight-man AFC lost a fiery encounter 2-0 at home to St Margaretsbury on Saturday, having gone down 4-1 to Stotfold at Creasley Park on Wednesday night.

Four men were sent off in the first half as a number of key decisions went against AFC.

Early chances for Graham Clarke, Dale Turney and John Cooper reflected AFC’s before John Cooper was dismissed on 25 minutes when he petulantly kicked out following a hefty challenge and was harshly dismissed.

Ed Taylor gave Saints the lead after 34 minutes when his cross-shot eluded everybody and found the far corner of the goal.

More controversy erupted before the break when Jack Lauder’s effort from a corner was parried by the keeper and he caught a defender as he challenged for the rebound.

Tempers erupted as both sides clashed, with Saints keeper Matt Deamer dismissed along with AFC’s Garth Harnamann and Lauder on the advice of the linesman who was 20 yards away from the incident.

Despite having just eight men AFC played well in the second half as the stand-in visiting keeper pulled off a great save to deny Graham Clarke.

Despite their two player advantage the visitors only managed one goal from Davy Edmee in the second half as they sealed a 2-0 win.

Manager Alex Butler said: “I should be talking about the character and Herculean efforts of our players on a day that our players showed they care deeply about the club.

“I also cannot defend a couple of our players for giving the officials the opportunity to punish them, but we all feel aggrieved by the unintentional but unbalanced issuing of cards by the officials, and I made this clear to the officials after the game.

“The referee didn’t need to send off Cooper, the kick out was petulant and none violent. Young Jack Lauder’s sending was a poor decision from the linesman who in my view got carried away with the ensuing incident.

“Both decisions were game-changers, and in addition both players will get three-match bans for violent conduct.

“We will pick ourselves up and if we can show this resolve in our Beds Senior Trophy semi-final game at home to Barton this coming Wednesday, then we have a good chance of playing in the final.”

Tomorrow night (Wednesday) AFC are due to entertain Barton Rovers in the semi-finals of the Bedfordshire FA Senior Cup.

The Dunstable side are back in league action on Saturday when they go to Hillingdon Borough and on Tuesday night they visit Haringey Borough.