CHICKERELL United came out on top after a ridiculous match that saw 12 goals and a red card at Witchampton United in the Dorset Senior League.

The Chickens went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes, before ending the first half 5-2 down yet they were level by 60 minutes before substitute Jake McCarthy got sent off after 70 minutes while two late goals won it for Chickerell.

The match had two hattricks, with Matt Stickland alone scoring five goals for the Chickens, and Liam Cullen getting three goals for Witchampton.

The drama started early with Stickland needing no time to introduce himself to the game when he fired in after a cut back from Thomas Hastie after seven minutes, as the Chickens took an early lead.

Five minutes later Stickland had a brace after a superb move out from the back down the left-hand side and a cross in from the byline saw him fire in.

After such a promising start Chickerell then collapsed, and manager Shaun Murphy admitted: "I do not know what happened, personally I think we dropped off a little bit, thinking maybe it was a little bit easy."

Witchampton took advantage of mistakes from defenders as they tormented the away defence, scoring their first after 20 minutes.

The home side then ran rampant taking advantage of mistakes as short headers back and passing square across, scoring four goals in 20 minutes to head into half-time leading 5-2.

The half-time team talk worked for the away side and Murphy admitted they came out buzzing as a result of it.

The comeback began early with Stickland sealing his hattrick after 48 minutes, which lifted the away side's spirits.

Seven minutes later James Hansford broke through after a move down the left-hand side and slotted past the Witchampton goalkeeper.

Steve Welch for the Chickens then put two good opportunities wide before slotting in to equalise on 60 minutes.

McCarthy was introduced after this but was sent off 10 minutes later, which Murphy believed was wrongful.

The Chickens reacted well to the sending off however, as Stickland completed his impressive tally with goals in the 79th and 84th minute to seal the points for Chickerell.

Murphy said: "I said to the lads afterwards that we need to keep up the performance of that second half or even the first 10 minutes of the first half, if we carry on like that until the end of the season there is no reason why we should not be there or thereabouts and can win it. The urgency and the commitment they showed in the second half was phenomenal."

Reflecting on the match Murphy said: "The way we were 5-2 down was just a bit embarrassing really, it is hard to put anything on it, we were driving home thinking what did we just watch?"

Chickerell host Corfe Mullen on Saturday (3pm).