WITCHAMPTON UNITED 3

UPWEY & BROADWEY 1

THE hoodoo currently besieging Upwey & Broadwey continues to go from bad to worse as they suffered a fourth successive defeat in the Dorset Senior League at the hands of Witchampton United.

Stand-in boss Simon Ansell must be wondering whether he has walked under any ladders in recent weeks such has been his side’s recent catalogue of bad fortune, which this time saw Dan McDonald receive a controversial red card and Darren Samways have a goal ruled out for offside.

Upwey started well and duly took the lead through Richard Frost but then disaster struck when the Witches turned the tables with two quick breakaway goals that left the visitors stunned.

Then, to make matters even worse for Upwey, McDonald was sent off for what the referee deemed to be a dangerous tackle as United entered the break in full command.

However, to their credit, the away side came out with all guns blazing and defied their one-man disadvantage by putting the Witches under intense pressure.

Sean Zima went close before Phil Anderson flicked on a free-kick to the back post where Samways saw his powerful ball back across goal diverted into the net by a retreating defender.

Upwey’s 10 men reeled away in celebration only to then see the effort chalked off by the flag of Witchampton’s club linesman, who had deemed that Samways had been standing in an offside position when the set-piece was taken.

Feeling hard done by, Ansell pushed Sean Stewart up front in the final minutes in a last roll of the dice but even that came back to haunt him when United broke away again to grab a third to wrap up the points.

Ansell, who was without the services of Omar Djeebet, Damien McLucas and Ty Young, who were all late withdrawals, said: “I seem to be saying the same thing every week.

“For much of the game we were the better team. We took the lead and looked to be on top but then once again we conceded two disappointing goals.

“On both occasions they pumped long balls in behind us and made it count and suddenly we were 2-1 down.

“We have spoken in recent weeks about people taking more responsibility but there was not enough talking at the back again and we were duly punished for it.

“Then the task was made even harder when Dan got sent off for a late tackle. He was stretching for it but there was nothing vindictive in the challenge at all but their team crowded the referee and he was shown the red card.

“In the second half we then came out and absolutely pummelled them only to then have what looked like a perfectly good equaliser ruled out for offside.

“The flag appeared to go up late and none of their players appealed but that is the way it is going for us at the moment and eventually they went on and got a third after we had pushed an extra man up front.

“I cannot fault the lads for effort and I really feel for them at the minute but all we can do is keep working hard in the hope that something soon turns our way.”

Upwey: Luque, Porteous, Stewart, Anderson, Pearce, McDonald, Jarvis, Frost, Devaney, Zima, Samways. Subs not used: Coombs, Purnell, Sweetser-Hawkes.