MIDWEEK FOOTBALL
Uxbridge had three players and their manager sent off in the first half alone on an extraordinary night at Honeycroft where they crashed out of the FA Trophy at home to Swindon Supermarine.
The Reds went into the game with a real chance of recording their fourth successive upset in a row, following wins over Boreham Wood, Dorchester Town and AFC Wimbledon, but instead it was they who were left upset as their hopes disappeared in 25 crazy minutes before the interval last Tuesday.
Skipper Mark Nicholls was cautioned in the fifth minute and Johnnie Dyer joined him in the book, both for fouls and Nicholls later received his second booking after clashing off the ball with Swindon defender Gary Horgan, whose name was taken too, after the pair wrestled each other to the ground.
Kevin Warner also went into the book for a wild challenge before the visitors took a 28th minute lead, Ashley Eden-borough producing a smart turn and thumping shot that sped past Paul McCarthy who could do no better than get a hand to it.
Soon after Alan Griffin broke on to a direct ball forward and although his defenders may well have recovered to make a challenge, McCarthy raced off his line and was in no man's land when Griffin lifted the ball over him for the second goal.
Leigh Henry's run and cross flicked off an Uxbridge defender and fell nicely for Steve Cook to bundle home Swindon's third goal in eight minutes and with only 10 men, the Reds had very little chance of recovering.
They had no chance with eight. Ryan Wharton was fortunate not to concede a penalty with a clumsy challenge on Edenborough before three minutes into first half stoppage time Mark Dennison jumped into a two-footed tackle on Justyn McKay and received a straight red, with Tony Choules also being sent from the dugout for his questioning of the decision.
Team-mates, officials and fans tried to defend Dennison, pointing out he got the ball but that is immaterial since the law states: "Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force and endangering the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play. A player who is guilty of serious foul play should be sent off..."
And Dyer must have known the outcome when, with the whistle blown for half-time, he then let fly with a finger-pointing tirade at referee Liam Collins who sent him for an early bath too.
Lee Tunnell came on for the farcical second period, becoming Uxbridge's third captain of the game in the process following Nicholls and Dennison as the hosts employed the seldom seen 3-4-0 formation.
Swindon barely broke sweat as they added three more goals through Edenborough, Luke Hopper and Sean Wood and it would have been an awful lot more but for a string of superb saves by substitute keeper Matt Burton, who replaced the injured McCarthy at the break.
Three minutes from time Warner scored a fine solo effort to pull a goal back, slicing through the heart of Swindon defenders who opted to let him run rather than risk a card, before striking low beyond the keeper and embarking on a pointedly over the top celebration.
Two goals in the first 12 minutes gave Hayes & Yeading United a long and fruitless night in Shropshire as they slid out of the FA Trophy at AFC Telford United.
Andy Brown had already gone clean through once when he fired Telford in front in the eighth minute and soon after he doubled the lead to put the hosts firmly in control.
H&Y recovered their composure but could not find a way back, the nearest they came being when Will Hendry smashed a volley from a free kick into the crossbar, while Telford had their chances for a third goal.
For that they had to wait until four minutes into the second half as Carl Rodgers ended any hope of a comeback and midway through the period Danny Carey-Bertram sealed a 4-0 defeat, which could have been worse had it not been for keeper Aaron Howe.
Jamie Houliston struck late to earn Harefield United their 16th win from 23 games in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division at the end of a see-saw encounter at Aylesbury Vale.
The Hares trailed at half-time to an Aaron Usmani effort but goals from Chris Drake and Danny Buckle took them in front until Kyle Martin levelled with eight minutes to go.
However, Houliston replied within a minute to snatch victory back and inch Harefield ever closer to the title.
Northwood scored twice in the second half to move safely into the last 16 of the Isthmian League Cup at the expense of Ryman South opponents Fleet Town.
Both sides had chances to take the lead before in the 73rd minute Staforde Palmer's shot was charged down but the ball deflected off Mark Burgess and crept inside the post to give the hosts a rather fortunate advantage.
There was no doubting the quality of the second goal though, as nine minutes later Anthony Page gave Paul Smith no chance with a sweetly struck effort from just outside the box.
Reserve striker Courtney Francis was among those to go close to a third for Woods after making his senior debut at half-time, while in stoppage time Fleet spurned a chance for a consolation as James Field scooped over from close range. A difficult trip to Staines Town, currently second in the Ryman Premier, awaits Northwood.
