Jordan sent off as March Town United draw with last season’s runners up
Ridgeons First Division: March Town United 2 Whitton United 2
MARCH Town United ‘keeper Lea Jordan was sent off for violent conduct as the Hares held last season’s runners-up Whitton United to a 2-2 draw.
Jordan’s dismissal for retaliation - with 10 minutes left on the clock and March leading 2-1 - saw Whitton equalise from the penalty spot to leave Hares boss Brett Whaley deflated.
Hot-shot striker Stu Anderson’s double had seemingly done enough to give March a magnificent victory against much-fancied Whitton.
Whaley said: “We’ve coming away feeling like we’ve lost but we’ve drawn against one of the sides who will challenge this season.
“I feel down - if you’d have asked me this morning if we could draw I’d have taken it. Now I go away feeling quite sad we haven’t actually got three points.
“I’m sure tomorrow morning I’ll feel more positive about it all.
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“Before the incident where Jordi got sent off I could not see how they were going to score - that’s where the frustration comes from for me.
“Lea feels like the lad tried to stamp on him and it’s one of those things I suppose. If the referee gets a perfect view of it then he probably doesn’t get sent off.
“There were some nasty challenges all games so it feels like a soft dismissal - but he’ll learn from it, we’ll learn from it and we’ll get better as a result.
“Lea reacted to something that will happen and in the heat of the moment people react in different ways. The reality is what has happened has happened and he’ll pick himself up and double his efforts I’m sure of that.
“Losing him will hurt us and today hurts - but to be fair I doubt we’ll realise how good a point this is until later on in the season.”
It was in-form Anderson - who scored seven goals during pre-season - who gave March the lead when he scissor kicked home from six yards following Luke Pepper’s flick on.
Whitton equalised on the stroke of half time but it was that man Anderson again who gave the Hares the lead on the hour mark. His looping effort from the edge of the box put March in front for the second time, which left the Hares on course for all three points.
Yet with 10 minutes left, and March seemingly heading towards a fantastic victory, Jordan was sent off and the visitors snatched a point from the penalty spot.
March travel to Godmanchester Rovers on Wednesday night for their second league game of the season.
March: Jordan, Cook, Cooke, Hepworth, Sutton, Lenton, Goodale, Rothery, Anderson, Pepper, McDonough
Subs used: Brand, Watson and Smith
Subs not used: Davis and Wayte
Cards: Yellow - Ben Hepworth, Red - Lea Jordan
Ridgeons First Division results in full
Fakenham Town 1 Brightlingsea Regent 0 - Att: 91
Godmanchester Rovers 1 Debenham LC 0 - Att: 87
Halstead Town 6 Downham Town 0 - Att: 97
Long Melford 1 Thetford Town 3 - Att: 70
March Town United 2 Whitton United 2 - Att: 72
Swaffham Town 1 Cornard United 1 - Att: 54
Team Bury 0 Cambridge University Press 1 - Att: 61
• Click on the related link to find out how Premier Division Wisbech Town got on at the weekend.
