Somerset Senior Cup second round

Ashton United 2 Highbridge Town 2 (4-2 aet)

HIGHBRIDGE Town exited the Somerset Senior Cup after a 4-2 extra-time defeat at Ashton United.

The hosts scored twice in extra time after the sides had been level at 2-2 at the end of normal time in a game featuring four red cards.

Sam Redstone and Matt Scott were on target for Town, who led twice during the 90 minutes, while Tom Bailey and Kane Powell were both given their marching orders.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Highbridge manager Matt Pitt, who was critical of the dismissals.

He said: “It was a very frustrating afternoon where we just didn’t get going and do the things we do so well usually.

“We created enough chances to win, and with the main advantage for a long period in the second half we didn’t trouble them as we should have, and that’s disappointing, but individual errors and ill discipline have cost us big.

“The ref didn’t help the matter and he must have thought it was December 25 with the amount of cards he handed out, which turned it into a dirty affair when the game really wasn’t heading that way.

“It disappoints me to lose two big players to suspension also, but that’s football and we have a big enough squad to cope with these things.”

Town took the lead in the 20th minute when a Taylor cross was turned in by full back Redstone.

The lead did not last long with Ashton equalising when a free kick was not dealt with by the Town defence, and after finding its way all across goal it was smashed home to level things up.

Shortly after, a mistake by Craig Holley, trying to play out from the back, gifted Ashton possession, and they broke away and made no mistake one-on-one with Town keeper Steve Bailey.

Town levelled just before half-time with Scott reading a misplaced back pass to round the keeper and slot home from an acute angle.

The second half saw an Ashton player shown a second yellow, which resulted in his dismissal after 65 minutes.

Two minutes later Bailey saw red for a second bookable offence after retaliating to a foul.

The game headed into extra time, and Ashton struck twice in two minutes to book their place in round three.

To top things off, Powell and another Ashton player saw second yellows in the dying seconds in an off the ball incident.