Baffled boss Ian Dunn rued a crucial decision going against his Pinchbeck United side as they went down 3-0 at high-flying Peterborough Sports Reserves on Saturday.
A double from Chris Brown and a further strike from the influential Jamie Graham sentenced Pinchbeck to their third ChromaSport Peterborough League loss in five matches.
But it was a key moment in the second half that angered Dunn and his side.
With the score 2-0, striker Louis Saebe got in behind the defence and was clean through on goal.
However, he was hauled down inside the penalty box by a defender for what looked like an obvious red card and penalty.
The official waved United’s appeals away – and to rub salt into their collective wounds the hosts added a third late on.
Dunn isn’t too downbeat on his side, despite them only picking up four points from five games.
But he feels the Saebe incident would have changed the game if it had gone their way.
“It was as blatant a penalty as you’ll ever see,” said Dunn. “The opposition were apologising to us on the side – that’s how obvious it was.
“It was an unbelievable error for the officials to make. But that’s what you have to put up with from time to time at this level.
“It’s a shame, as we really came into the game in the second half.
“Sports are perhaps the best footballing side I’ve seen at this level and we couldn’t deal with them in the first half.
“But we really came into it after the break. If the decision had gone our way it would have been 2-1 with us playing ten men for 30 minutes. Instead, it left us frustrated and they got another goal.
“I’m not downbeat. We did well against a very good side and the scoreline is perhaps a false one. We just weren’t as good as them in the penalty box and it cost us dearly.
“We’ve played some very good sides already this season – and from what I’ve seen it looks like a two-horse race between Sports and Moulton Harrox for the title.
“I’m not sure we’re able to live with either of them, but I’m confident we’ll improve once the team begins to gel.”
Pinchbeck host Riverside in the ChromaSport and Trophies President Premier Shield at Knight Street on Saturday (1.30pm).
Dunn is hoping to add a new signing to his squad before then.
Pinchbeck: Dickinson, A Murrell, B Murrell, Brooks, Lawe, Bishop, Leggett, Wright, Edwards, Saebe, Ogden. Subs: Moore, Oldham.
