Sutton United manager Paul Doswell raged at referee Constantine Hatzidakis after his penalty decision helped 10-man Havant & Waterlooville recover from two goals down to draw 2-2.
Sutton, who have only won twice in their past 13 league games, were two up in first half after Dan Fitchett scored twice in the space of six minutes to give Doswell’s men a good lead going into the break.
It looked even better for the Us when Havant’s Nic Ciardini was sent off just after the break, but the home side pulled one back through Scott Donnelly’s penalty before JJ Hooper’s equaliser meant a draw.
It was the penalty, given for Damien Scannell’s seemingly clean challenge on Brian Stock, that left Doswell incensed though.
He said: “The sending off didn’t really help us because they didn’t really change their shape from what they had at the start of the second half, and then he gave a penalty which we’ve just watched again on video, and that’s proved what we thought at the time that it should never have been given.
“It was the key to the whole game, because they were petering out at that point and I think we’d have seen the game out comfortably.
“But the referee’s given them a massive leg-up with the decision and that’s the main reason it ended 2-2.”
Doswell was impressed with Fitchett’s contribution though.
“It’s encouraging that Dan Fitchett has come in and given us something that we’ve been missing this season, and his partnership with Jamie White will be a good one,” he added.
Charlie Moore scored the only game of the game as Hampton & Richmond Borough edged past Dulwich Hamlet 1-0 in the Ryman Premier.
Also in the Ryman Premier, Kingstonian lost 3-1 away to high-flying Hendon despite Sam Page’s consoaltion, while Met Police won 3-1 at home against Leiston with two goals from Charlie Collins and one from Bradley Hudson-Odoi.
In Ryman Division One South, Tooting & Mitcham lost 3-2 at Guernsey and struggling Walton Casuals went down to a 2-0 defeat at Horsham.
Dylan Cascoe scored the equaliser for Walton & Hersham as they 1-1 drew at Chipstead, while Carshalton Athletic came from behind to beat East Grinstead 3-1 with goals from Paris Hamilton-Downes, Sean O’Toole and Austin Gacheru.
In the Combined Counties League, Raynes Park Vale lost 3-2 at home to Mole Valley.
