Gosport Borough finished with only nine players on the pitch as they bowed out of the FA Cup after a controversial 2-1 third qualifying round replay defeat by Whitehawk at Privett Park tonight.

They took a fifth minute lead through George Barker, but had both Dan Wooden and top scorer Justin Bennett sent to the dressing room before Jake Robinson scored Whitehawk’s late winner.

Romford referee Lloyd Wood also red carded Whitehawk’s Nick Arnold during the first half of an incident filled tie.

Gosport’s cup exit dashes the intriguing prospect of Borough boss Alex Pike pitting his wits against Poole Town’s Tommy Killick in the last qualifying round on Saturday week.

Ironically, the night began so promisingly for Gosport, with Barker firing them into a fifth minute lead.

But things began to go wrong in the 21st minute when Wooden saw red for apparent retaliation – Whitehawk’s Scott Neilson staying on the field despite appearing to punch the Gosport man in the stomach.

“Everyone in the crowd saw it differently to the referee,” fumed Pike.

“Their player confronted Wooden, having previously stamped on his foot. The Whitehawk player grabbed him in the ‘private parts’ and as any male will tell you when someone grabs you there, you move forward and the referee deemed that as a head butt.”

Whitehawk created three good chances before they too were reduced to ten men – five minutes later Nick Arnold being sent off for a trip on Bennett, who was heading for goal.

Whitehawk equalised six minutes into the second half when Robinson’s fierce low shot took a wicked deflection off Scott Neilson to wrong foot Nathan Ashmore.

The Sussex side bossed affairs after that with Danny Mills wasting a great chance and then hitting the upright either side of Tom Dunford arrowing a 20-yarder against Whitehawk upright.

Gosport’s hopes effectively ended when Bennett was dismissed for a second bookable offence and eight minutes from the end of normal time the influential Robinson fired Whitehawk’s free kick winner.