IT was a day rife with red cards in the Sydenhams Premier Division – and Lymington Town’s game at Folland Sports was no exception.

Three players got their marching orders in Lymo’s 2-1 victory in Hamble – Elliot Richards and Rory Wood for the rock-bottom Planemakers and Brad Strickland for the visitors.

With four seeing red at Alresford and another three getting an early bath at Verwood, Lymo boss John Pyatt can’t help but think referees are overly keen to dish the cards out.

He said: “There was 'handbags' between Brad and the Follands player, but no punching or anything like that, just a bit of argy-bargy and they’ve both been sent off.

“Follands lost another lad to two yellows and arguably the second one wasn’t a booking.

“These players aren’t pros, they’re playing in bad conditions and the majority are not getting paid.

“They turn up every week and of course they’ll get frustrated and react a bit if someone kicks them from behind, but it’s not malicious.

“Brad Strickland’s one of the cleanest players you’ll come across. It’s the first time he’s been red-carded.

“It bewilders me sometimes, but we’ll take the result. It’s our first win in ages.”

Lymo led through Warren Kenna, Jamie Blackburn equalised and a late Luke Ansell winner sealed the points.

Whitchurch United winched themselves towards mid-table safety with a 4-2 win at Brockenhurst.

Jack McCarthy, Ryan Lambert, Rudi Plummer and Danny Phillips struck for the Jam Boys with Ryan Long and Scott Joyce on target for Brock, who have slipped below their visitors into 16th.

Lymington host third-placed AFC Portchester in the league tomorrow (Tuesday), while Brockenhurst are home to Hamble Club in the quarter-finals of the Southampton Senior Cup. The winners face Team Solent.

*Cowes Sports (Jordan Browne 2, Dexter Malin, Aidan Sainsbury) beat Ventnor 4-2 in the Isle of Wight Gold Cup.