Sporting Khalsa stay cool as Highgate United see FOUR sent-off

Lei Brown, Sam Oji, Nathan Pulisciano and Shay Palmer were all dismissed for the hosts during 20 minutes of madness at the end of Saturday’s Midland League Premier fixture.

It meant Khalsa, 3-0 up, ended up playing keep-ball against seven-man in stoppage time in the knowledge a fifth Highgate dismissal would have seen the game abandoned. Rowe said: “We got a free-kick on the edge of their box and ended up playing the ball 80 yards back towards our own goal.

“We just wanted to avoid any flashpoints, any excuse for the referee to get the red card out again.

“Having the game abandoned at that late stage would have been a disaster for us.

“I was really pleased with the way my lads conducted themselves in the circumstances.”

Khalsa were already in command through goals from Mykel Beckley and Dave Meese when Brown was dismissed for allegedly biting the latter.

After Mensah Kinch struck the Khalsa’s third, Oji was then perhaps a little unfortunate to be shown a second yellow card, before the game descended into near farce with both Pulisciano and Palmer picking up second bookings for dissent, the latter having sarcastically clapped the referee.

The win moved Khalsa up to third in the table, though Rowe admits they require a miracle to stand any chance of catching leaders Ilkeston Town.

“It’s a case of what might have been,” he said. “We won’t stop working hard. We just want to finish as high as we can.”

Walsall Wood remain right in the hunt for the title, just three points behind the leaders, thanks to a 4-1 home win over Coventry Sphinx.

Wolves Sporting, however, stand on the brink of relegation following a 3-0 defeat away at South Normanton Athletic. AFC Wulfrunians lost 3-2 at home to Worcester City.