TONY Pidgeon fired a broadside at whistler Adie Cripps after Southbrook’s 2-2 draw at Ludgershall in the Wiltshire Premier.

Southbrook had two men sent off within the first 35 minutes but somehow managed to salvage a point, with their equaliser coming deep into injury time.

However, coach Pidgeon’s thoughts were more concerned with the performance of referee Cripps than the result itself.

“I was a referee myself for 30 years and I’ve never slagged a referee off, if it’s a referee’s opinion it’s his opinion,” he said.

“Unfortunately this gentleman has no footballing nous whatsoever.

“I was disappointed in his overall performance, he wasn’t biased to one side or the other, he was poor for both.

“He didn’t give himself the opportunity to interpret the laws of the game like they are there to be interpreted.

“That’s just my opinion and not the opinion of the club.

“The players said after the game, if they had him again they actually wouldn’t play.”

Ludgershall took the lead inside 10 minutes before Chris Balfe was dismissed for foul and abusive language.

Luke Mitchell levelled when he lobbed the keeper but then Wes Pidgeon was red-carded for two bookings, one for dissent and another for a shoulder barge.

Despite their man advantage, Ludgershall took until five minutes from time to find their second.

And just when it seemed they had the game won, Colin Yates struck an unlikely equaliser in off a defender.

“It was an amazing result. The players were absolutely superb,” added Pidgeon.

Elsewhere in the division, Chippenham Park are top after their 1-1 draw with Corsham, while Purton kept the heat on the leaders with a 3-1 win over Blyskawica.

Marlborough lost 2-0 at high-flying Wilts Calne Town while Wroughton picked up a hugely creditable point at home to Bradford Reserves.

In Division One, Madames made it 12 wins from 12 starts with a 3-1 victory at Marshfield.

Marlborough Reserves were defeated by the same scoreline at home to Chippenham Park Reserves.

The other results in the division saw Wootton Bassett Dev claim a 3-0 victory over Nalgo Wanderers and Intel edge out Malmesbury Reserves 2-1.