Karl Dodds was controversially sent off as North Leigh slipped to a 4-2 defeat against Bridgwater Town in British Gas Business Southern League Division 1 South & West at Eynsham Park on Saturday.
North Leigh were trailing 2-1 in the 63rd minute when Dodds was given his marching orders for a tackle on Town substitute Lloyd Gardner, although he won the ball.
It was to prove the turning point as from the resulting free-kick, taken by Anton Alondo, the ball ended up in the North Leigh net after taking a wicked deflection.
Mark Gee’s side had made a bright start with Liam Hope going close.
But then they were once more undone by an early goal, Nathan Pepperell's low shot beating Lee Farrow after six minutes.
Hope then glanced a header just wide and Bridgwater keeper Tom Manley denied Mark Simms, before North Leigh had strong penalty appeals turned down when Ben Reardon's cross struck the arm of a Town defender.
Manley then redeemed himself after his fumble by deflecting Joe Burnell's shot just wide of a post, although a goal-kick was awarded.
An incident-packed second half began with Alondo hitting the goal of the game from 25 yards to put the visitors 2-0 ahead within two minutes of the restart.
Hope reduced the deficit after 52 minutes with a rising left-foot strike, before Dodds’s dismissal and Alondo’s second.
North Leigh kept battling, and Hope and Burnell were both denied by Manley, but Graham Mercieca sealed their fate with Bridgwater's fourth after 68 minutes.
Simon Futcher's curling left-foot strike in stoppage time proved scant consolation for North Leigh.
North Leigh: Farrow, Sadler, Allen, Burnell, Huxley, Dodds, Reardon, McCabe, Simms (Weedon 80), Hope, Cooper (Futcher 75). Subs not used: Jackson, Threlfall.
Attendance: 94.
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