FOOTBALL: Six red cards in Worthing's draw with Chipstead

After no sending-offs in the first half, referee Danny Austin sent three players from each side for early baths in the second period.

With Chipstead leading through Fred Fleming's 13th-minute header, the first dismissal came on 59 minutes.

Rebels' Jamie Brotherton and Paul Kennett both had shots blocked before Scott Kirkwood's goalbound effort was handled on the line by Chipstead's Nathan Campbell.

Mr Austin showed him the red card, and Kirkwood blasted home the spot-kick to level the match.

Rebels then missed numerous chances to go ahead, before there were five dismissals in the last nine minutes.

Chipstead's Chris Head, who had been booked only two minutes earlier, blocked Brotherton off the ball and received his second booking, to leave Worthing with a two-man advantage.

That lasted for just two minutes, though, as Rebels then had two players red-carded in the space of a minute.

Stuart Axten was harshly sent off after blocking a Chipstead player, who was looking to go through on goal, but Rebels had several players back covering.

Then, on 84 minutes, it became nine against nine, much to the amusement and dismay of supporters when Kirkwood was shown a second yellow card.

In the first-minute of injury-time came the fifth red card when Chipstead's Gavin Quintyme was dismissed for a nasty-looking tackle on Chris O'Flaherty.

That was nowhere near the end of the drama, though. In the fourth minute of stoppage-time, Chipstead's Josh Smith broke clear and rounded Worthing keeper Alan Mansfield. His shot was blocked by Rebels debutant defender, Andy Pearson, on loan from Brighton, who fell to the floor as he stopped Smith's goalbound effort.

But the ball then rebounded to Ashley Reid's whose shot struck Pearson's hand while he was on the floor.

Pearson was shown a straight red, but Worthing keeper Mansfield brilliantly saved Danny Oakins' penalty, which proved to be the last action of a breathtaking finale.

In the first half, there had been just one booking (there were eight in total), although Rebels' Kennett was lucky not to receive at least a booking for a challenge on Oakins.

Mr Austin stayed in his changing room until 45 minutes after the game had finished, and when asked if he had ever been involved in a game like that before, said: "It's one of the reasons we don't referee", and walked off.

Were you at the game? What did you make of it? Should there have been six red cards? Leave a comment, or send an e-mail to [email protected]

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