FOOTBALL: Abingdon's nine-men hold on (From The Oxford Times)

FOOTBALL: Abingdon's nine-men hold on

10:00am Monday 4th March 2013 in Football

Abingdon United finished with nine men, but hung on for a 2-2 draw at Wimborne in an Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West match dominated by controversial decisions on Saturday.

Skipper Gareth Thomas and Kevin Haliday were sent off, but two goals from Carl Evans earned the visitors a draw.

Evans’s first goal after eight minutes sparked controversy as he appeared to foul the home keeper Jason Harvell before ball entered the net.

Wimborne’s equaliser followed a disputed free-kick. Abingdon lost concentration arguing with the referee and no-one picked up Jon Blake, who powered his header home from close in.

The rest of the drama came in the last 16 minutes.

As United stood appealing for offside, Wimborne’s Micky Hubbard raced through and was brought down by Thomas, who was correctly shown the red card.

From the resulting free-kick, the referee awarded the hosts a penalty for handball even though the ball had struck Sam Tucker’s head.

Hubbard put Wimborne ahead from the spot.

Abingdon kept their heads and Tom Melledew sent a cutting pass to Carl Self, who laid it back for Evans to equalise.

The drama was not over as the referee gave a stunned Kevin Halliday a second yellow and his marching orders for asking politely where a throw-in had to taken from.

Abingdon’s nine men survived thanks to a a couple of blocked shots.

Abingdon Utd: Foster, Booker, Halliday, James, Thomas, Tucker, Riccio, Evans, Woodley (Christodolou 80), Biddle (Melle-dew 60), Nowell (Self 60). Subs not used: Baker, Ross.

Attendance: 220.