Seventh red of the season in 10-goal thriller for Mond

Jack Briscoe became the latest man to be given his marching orders before the visitors fought back to take a share of the spoils from a topsy-turvy match thanks to Scott Ryan’s late leveller.

While delighted with the character shown by his team, Cutler was again left to rue a questionable refereeing decision.

He said: “It was never a red card in a month of Sundays. Jack has won the ball, their lad has screamed out and the referee has got the card out straight away.

“I’m not going to criticise the ref. It is a tough job and he has to make the decision in a split-second.

“But it is fair to say we are probably due the run of the green at some point. To have seven sent off in just 14 matches is pretty extraordinary.

“I would say three have been justified – and I accept that isn’t great. But the other four have been very harsh.”

Saturday’s match was the type to delight neutrals but give managers palpitations. Haughmond led 3-2 at the break thanks to Louis Irvine’s double and a Sam Yeardley strike but were immediately pegged back at the start of the second half.

Tom Hughes restored the visiting team’s advantage but Bewdley then scored twice and looked in command after Briscoe was dismissed, only for Ryan to have the final say.

Irvine even had the chance to win it and complete his hat-trick when he went through in stoppage time and Cutler said: “I would have put my house on him scoring. Unfortunately, the shot went just over the bar.

“Obviously, I am pleased with the character we showed when a man down. It’s early in the season but this was a match we really didn’t want to lose.”

The draw saw Haughmond remain 18th in the table.

Shifnal sit sixth after a 1-1 draw at fellow promotion hopefuls Lichfield City. Conor Hughes got the visitors off to the perfect start when he headed home his first goal for the club but they were pegged back by a Luke Childs strike.

Whitchurch Alport are up to 12th after goals in each half from Sean Griffiths and Ivan Urvantev earned them a 2-0 win at home to AFC Wulfrunians.

In Division One, Shawbury United and AFC Bridgnorth both had days to forget.

Bridgnorth remain 18th in the table after a 4-1 defeat OJM Black Country, where only a Harry Minifie goal provided any consolation.

Shawbury are just a point and two places better off after losing 3-1 at home to Paget Rangers.

Ellesmere Rangers ended their two-month wait for a win in Division One South of the North West Counties League with a 4-2 home victory over Abbey Hulton United.

The match was effectively over as a contest by the break as goals from Joseph Loughnane, Niall Thomas and Karl Bailey put Rangers into a 3-0 lead.

Still, having gone nine matches without a win, nerves were still evident and after Harvey Howell further extended the advantage early in the second half, Abbey Hulton netted twice to make the finish far more tense than it needed to be.

St Martins remain bottom of the table, still searching for their first win of the season, following a 5-1 defeat at Barnton. Robert Weir’s goal did provide some consolation in their 12th reverse in a row.