Referee Andy Hendley was not a popular figure at Oxford City following his controversial decision to send off City goalkeeper Salva de la Cruz just six minutes into their 3-0 defeat at home to Barrow in Vanarama Conference North, writes Matthew Bruce.

“I think it was a harsh sending-off,” said coach Mark Jones.

“Their lad’s been quite clever with the way he’s taken the contact, because he’s gone into Salva as much as Salva has gone into him – and of course the ref gives a penalty.

“We felt that to then send Salva off and put us down to ten men for the 85 minutes to go was very harsh.

“We then have to put Darren Pond in goal, who had a specific role today in midfield.

“So our whole plans go out of the window within the first five minutes.”

The red card came just two minutes after a similar incident at the other end, in which Barrow keeper Aaron Taylor escaped with just a booking for a foul on City’s Declan Benjamin.

“In the first five minutes of the game, the referee’s had two similar decisions to make,” said Jones.

“He’s booked their goalkeeper and sent our’s off, so we do feel a bit aggrieved.”