Manager rues red card as Wakehurst suffer third consective defeat

The game was finely poised at 1-1 with 20 minutes to go when Wakehurst defender Chris Rodgers was dismissed after being adjudged to be the ‘last man’ when he brought down a Banbridge opponent just outside the area.

“Chris’s behaviour, both on and off the pitch, has been exemplary since he joined us and it was an unfortunate sending off,” Gregg told Times Sport.

“It wasn’t a bad tackle or a deliberate foul - it was one of those where he had to make a challenge and the other player got there just a fraction ahead of him.

“It was unfortunate for us because there wasn’t much between the two sides at that stage - in fact, I felt we were finishing the stronger.

“That’s three defeats in a row for us which doesn’t happen very often - it’s quite ironic that despite having what I think is our strongest squad of players in my time at the club, we’ve ended up making one of our worst starts to the league campaign.

“But we have good quality within the squad, although what we’re maybe lacking a bit at present is confidence - we were a wee bit tentative with the ball at times on Saturday,” added Gregg.

Wakehurst had taken the lead on 20 minutes when Lee Mccaughern’s free kick found Paul Muir and his cross was headed into the net by David Gage. Six minutes after the dismissal of Rodgers, Banbridge went ahead when a ball crossed from the left found Steven O’Neill and he got his second of the day slotting the ball under the body of Marc Maybin. Banbridge made it three in injury time when Paul Walsh scored from just outside the box to secure the three points .

Wakehurst : Maybin, Stevenson, Rodgers, Muir, Gage, McCaughern, Mellon, Young(G), Gregg(R), Gregg(C), Paul. Subs: Cairns, Laughlin, Young(R), Dickey, Lemon

Wakehurst have no match next Saturday and return to league action with an away fixture to Glebe Rangers on 12th October, 3pm.