SWINDON Supermarine boss Dave Webb says their match with Slimbridge got ‘out of control’ after three players were sent off, before the Southern League West fixture was abandoned due to a serious injury.

Joe Shepherd was shown a straight red card for a tackle on the visitors' Marley Thomas in the 78th minute of the Webbs Wood Stadium clash and with Thomas stricken on the pitch an ambulance was called and the game was abandoned due to the expected wait for the emergency services.

The scores were locked at 1-1 with a Brad Hooper penalty cancelling out Joe Wilton's 11th-minute strike.

Supermarine’s counterparts were also reduced to nine men after Dean Turner and Alex Hoyle were both dismissed.

“It was a frustrating game and the only thing you can say is it that it got out of control. The referee and his assistants are meant to control the game and I felt they lost it,” said Webb.

“Obviously it is a serious injury to Marley Thomas, so we hope he is okay and there was no malice from Joe Shepherd at all, he just went out to block the cross.

“The pitch was really wet, the momentum carried him through and he’s caught him, but it’s not a straight red card in a million years.

“It’s a bad challenge, he’s a competitive player but he never goes out there with the intention to hurt anybody.

“That was one red card, they had two red cards and a number of players booked. It wasn’t a dirty game but it got out of control and it got abandoned with 15 minutes to go.

“Hopefully the game is replayed and then it will come to its natural outcome.”

Thomas was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg, but later revealed himself on Twitter that there was just severe ankle ligament damage.

Webb meanwhile, will review the footage of the challenge by Shepherd before lodging an appeal.

“I think you need video evidence to appeal a red card. The game was being filmed but we will have to see because of the area of the pitch,” he added.

“The conditions were horrendous so we will have to see about the quality of the video and then go from there.

“It’s not nice to see a player get injured but hopefully he is okay.”