Evans: Red card changed the game for Sleaford
Sleaford boss Matt Evans admitted his side felt hard done by after a 2-0 loss at home to Coalville Town on Saturday.
Their cause wasn’t helped by a red card for striker Taylor Gray late in the first-half, with a goal in each half ultimately proving the difference.
Zac Smithson scored from close range, then with Sleaford down to ten men in the second-half, Ronnie Morley added another goal late on.
And Evans said that whilst his side were beaten by a good team, they faced an uphill battle once reduced to ten men.
He said: “They’re a good team and played the better football – they remind us of some of the better sides we’ve played this season.
"In some areas they gave us a lot of respect which was good because we earned that, particularly with some of the patterns we produced in the first-half.
"Then the red card was a bit of a game changer but in the second-half, they did us on the break but otherwise I thought we were pretty competitive. It was frustrating and difficult but they are a good team.
"The red card threw everything up in the air as it just felt so wrong, so there was a real sense of injustice within the lads, so we had to get everyone’s heads together at half-time and start again and I think we had to change our game a bit as we didn’t have the target man and we reacted well to that.
"The support was brilliant today – in a crowd of around 275 I think about 200 were ours as Coalville also bring a good following, so we want to thank everyone who came as it’s testament to how the lads have played in recent weeks that people want to come and watch us.”
Sleaford were due to travel to Appleby Frodingham in the Lincs Senior Trophy on Tuesday night, after this week’s Standard went to press, then return to league action on Saturday when they go to Pinxton.
They’ll then welcome second-placed Retford United next Tuesday night.