DIVISION ONE SOUTH AND WEST Cirencester Town 3 Uxbridge 2

TONY Choules was unhappy with just about everything on Saturday as Uxbridge slipped to a 3-2 defeat away to Cirencester Town in the only game in the division to beat the frost.

The manager did not think the game should have been played at all given the conditions and to compound his misery Johnnie Dyer was sent off late on, incorrectly in his opinion, moments after Cirencester grabbed the winning goal.

The Reds fought back from 2-0 down only to concede again two minutes from time and that defeat, their fourth in six games, left them 10 points off even the play-offs, when before a ball was kicked in August they had been among the favourites for the title.

"I am absolutely fuming that the game was made to take place," said Choules. "We got away with it without any of the opposition or our players getting seriously hurt.

"We battered them but we just could-n't finish.

"Their goalkeeper made two tremendous saves in the first half and we conceded a calamitous opener."

Cirencester drew first blood after 10 minutes when Paul McCarthy lost his footing and could only watch as Matt Sysum's header looped over him.

A superb save by opposite number Tom King prevented David Warner equalising with a scorching volley and the Centurions came close to a second goal when Scott Griffin headed just over from a free kick, and he should have punished more poor defending but drove his shot wide.

Kevin Warner fluffed his lines in front of goal as Uxbridge continued to squander chances and after Steve Davies was inches away on a quick break, the hosts doubled the lead when Davies broke again and Griffin applied a quality finish.

Kevin Warner's acrobatic effort following a one-two with Lee Tunnell halved the deficit and as conditions became ever more difficult, on 71 minutes Tun-nell lobbed King, the ball found the post and Mark Nicholls stuck away the rebound.

Tunnell saw a header ruled out for off-side and with two minutes to go Cirencester snatched back the points when Matt Williams pounced after McCarthy saved from Carl Brown.

Reds substitute Dyer was then sent off for what the referee deemed was a hand to the face of an opponent, although he argued he was just trying to stop the player falling on him following a tackle.

That capped a miserable day for Choules, especially since both the player in question and the home bench pleaded with the official not to dismiss Dyer.

"This campaign with the FA regarding respect has got an awful lot to answer for because I believe it's changed the mentality of referees," commented Choules. "They don't want to talk to you anymore because they're protected by the respect campaign."

UXBRIDGE: McCarthy, Brown, Thomas, Baptiste, Dennison, Carter, Lawrence, K Warner, Tunnell, Nicholls, D Warner (Dyer 51). Subs not used: Fox, Wharton, Tarr.

Goals, Cirencester: Sysum 10; Griffin 34; Williams 88. Uxbridge: K Warner, Nicholls 71. Attendance: 205.