Sutton Coldfield 3 King's Lynn 1
13th November 2012
Three red cards, four penalty awards, a list of bookings longer than a restaurant's Christmas diary ended with Lynn losing their long unbeaten run on Tuesday. While all the talk should have been about Sutton Goldfield deservedly ending the Linnets' superb 14-match unbeaten run, it centred around the performance of referee Robbie Dadley.
Dadley took centre stage on a miserable night for Lynn, who had captain Richard Bunting and defender Phil Gulliver sent off in the second half after the hosts had been reduced to ten players following the first half dismissal of goalkeeper Lee Evans.
It may have been no joke for Sutton Goldfield when Evans was sent for an early bath but, when both Bunting and Gulliver followed him later, both managers questioned what had gone on during the game.
Setchell said: "We've created our own problems with the penalties but the referee has been far too keen to get his card out.
"Sutton Coldfield's second penalty wasn't one and the third one definitely wasn't, but these sort of problems are going to happen on a pitch like tonight's."
Setchell's opposite number Neil Tooth said: "I thought they were penalties but as I said to the referee at half-time when they are penalties I don't always think you always have to give a red card.
"There wasn't a bad tackle in the game and officials these days are too keen to get the cards out without consulting others or thinking about it.
"I think the referee has set a precedent for himself with the first one. After sending our lad off I think the referee probably felt that he needed to even it out."
While the Louis Keenan dispatched a hat-trick of penalties with ease, the pivotal moment in the game
Turner missed his spot-kick after Sam Mulready, who left the pitch with a hamstring injury shortly after, had been cleaned out by the home goalkeeper.
On 51 minutes Luke Chapman was adjudged to have been brought down by Bunting as he was about to shoot. Bunting was given his marching orders and Louis Keenan scored from the spot.
Lynn levelled matters on 67 minutes when Steve Spriggs netted a screamer from 3o yards.
But the Linnets' joy was short-lived, when Keenan scored his second penalty in the 72nd minute after Dan Quigley had been penalised for handball.
Just when they thought the night couldn't get any worse, Lynn were reduced to nine men in the 73rd minute when Gulliver was alleged to have tripped Ryan Simmonds to pick up his second yellow card of the night.
Keenan completed his treble from the spot with his most emphatic penalty of the night.
Sutton Coldfield Town: Evans, Quiggin, Kettle, Male, Keenan, Wilcock (Fuller 53, Simmonds 65), Parsons, Edwards, Chapman, Sheldon (Bedford 28), Ramsey-Dickson. Subs not used: Rathbone, Healy. Goals: Keenan pen 51, pen 72, pen 84. Booked: Male. Sent off: Evans.
King's Lynn Town: Gay, Watson (Dunkley 67), Fryatt, Gulliver, Yong, Spriggs, Bunting, Quigley, Thurlbourne, Mulready (Bexfield 34), Turner. Subs not used: Biles, Ward, Street. Goals: Spriggs 67. Booked: Gulliver, Watson, Spriggs, Dunkley. Sent Off: Bunting, Gulliver (second yellow)
Attendance: 165.