Red card farce for Turner (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Red card farce for Turner

12:29pm Thursday 8th March 2007 in Football By Gazette Sport Reporter

DAVE Turner was satisfied with a point at Purton, but fuming with the referee for sending off James Hambridge.

The Pewsey manager claimed his player, who is one of the nicest he has worked with in football, never swore at the referee.

He said: "You know your players and it is not in his character. He has been sent off for something the referee thinks he heard.

"I am now losing a good player for three matches. We have got him again on Saturday and it does not fill me with confidence."

Vale, who were due to play Cricklade last night, travel to Wootton Bassett with top scorer Craig Wall back in the squad after serving a suspension of his own.

Turner added: "That is a massive boost for us. After the red card we were hanging on a bit at the end. But had we taken our chances in the first half we could have given them two goals."

Vale were unlucky not to take the lead in the first 20 minutes as they put the pressure on the home defence.

Hambridge set up Tom Ritchie, but home keeper Aaron Dickinson managed to get a foot to the ball and turned the shot away for a corner. Eight minutes later another good chance fell to Scott Ward, from a Dan Hogan cross, but his shot was easily saved.

Against the run of play, Purton broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute. Vale keeper Stewart Thompson failed to hold a high free kick into the box, and the loose ball fell to Andy Phillpott via an obvious handball for the tap in.

Pewsey made changes in the 57 minute, bringing on new signing Carl Marsh, who has joined from Slough Town, and they got back on level terms in the 80th minute when a good run up the right side by Hambridge was crossed in for Ritchie to power home.

Turner added: "Everyone in the ground saw the handball, but then he has not given them a blatant penalty."