PHIL Thomas admitted his sending off cost Holme Lacy victory as Tenbury Town came from behind to win a pulsating HJ Handley Cup tie last Saturday.

The villagers were leading 2-1 when substitute Thomas received his marching orders for a second bookable offence 21 minutes from the end after upending Town’s Ashley Botwood.

The Worcestershire side then stormed back to win the game and book their place in the second round.

“It was down to me that we lost and I will get a bit of stick from the lads now,” said Thomas, who received his cards within eight minutes of each other.

Thomas said he agreed with the second yellow card, but did not think he deserved the first one.

“It was for a combination of fouls, but if you’re looking at it like that, then they should have had at least one,” he said.

“I actually thought the referee did ok, but for me, it felt that he was quick to put his card up.

“In the first half, he could have dealt with the game a bit earlier if he gave them a couple.”

Holme Lacy manager Matt Ferriday said he was disappointed how his team lost.

“I thought we were the better side for 70 minutes,” he said.

“We should have scored two or three goals in the first half and killed the game off.

“The red card was a turning point for me.

“It was right that he (the referee) gave the red card and we panicked a bit.

“We didn’t do our job properly after that moment but it was a pleasing performance.

“What disappointed me was that their number seven (Ashley Botwood) should have been booked in the first half and would have been sent off after about 60 minutes because he would have got a second yellow card.”

Ferriday said the aim is to push on in the league this season following an unbeaten start.

“We have got three huge games coming up against Bromyard, Woofferton and Ledbury and they will all be the challenging sides in the league,” said Ferriday.

Both sides had chances in an even first half, with Tenbury's Alex Bright heading wide from a corner after 15 minutes with the goal gaping.

Lacy’s Martin Francis then denied Mark Boucker before Richie Macdonald dragged his effort wide for the away side.

After 25 minutes, Holme Lacy almost took the lead but Chris Freddi could not get on the end of Macdonald’s cross.

Freddi looked lively down the right-hand side for Lacy, but neither side could find the breakthrough.

Thomas received his first yellow card for persistent fouling in the 61st minute before his side took the lead a minute later when Chris Sellars headed home Freddi’s free-kick.

Tenbury equalised six minutes later when Kieran Fish lashed the ball home after Chris Patton hit the crossbar from a couple of yards out.

But their joy turned to despair within a minute when Macdonald stroked the ball past Bryn Alford in the Tenbury goal.

However, shortly afterwards Thomas was sent off, which changed the game.

A storming run by Chris Patton saw Stuart Skidmore head home to make it 2-2 before they grabbed the winner in fortuitous circumstances three minutes later. A floated cross by Dave Coupland deceived Francis and, despite the Holme Lacy goalkeeper attempting to claw the ball back in, it had already crossed the line.