Salisbury 3 Halifax 1: Aspin perturbed after second double dismissal

Forwards Kevin Holsgrove and Josh Wilson were both sent off in the first half for violent conduct.

It is the second time this season the Shaymen have had two players dismissed in the same game.

Salisbury were ahead 1-0 when both players were ordered off and the hosts scored twice more before an own goal gave Halifax late consolation.

Halifax boss Aspin said: “I had a clear view of the first one which was absolute stupidity, and if the second one’s what I’ve been told then that’s exactly the same.

“I can’t defend players for doing that.

“Not only have they let the club down but they’ve let the other players down as well.

“I think we’d have had a chance of getting a result and I’d have liked to have seen what it was like 11 against 11 for the 90 minutes.”

After a bright start, some sloppy defending by the visitors allowed Elliott Frear too much space to reach Ricky Wellard’s through ball before he calmly finished past Matt Glennon.

The Shaymen then hit the self-destruct button as Hosgrove kicked out at Salisbury captain Glenn Wilson off the ball after half-an-hour.

Ten minutes later, Josh Wilson moved his head towards his namesake after a coming together which was spotted by the assistant referee and left Adam Hopkins with little choice but to hand out the same punishment.

Salisbury dished out some further punishment in the second half as full-back Luke Ruddick settled a few nerves among the hosts with a low drive from Daniel Fritchett’s cross.

Substitute Ben Wright then capped the win with a superb curling shot from just outside the box into the top left corner.

Salisbury: Puddy, Ruddick, Clarke, Wilson, Kamdjo, McPhee, Wellard, Sinclair (Thomson 82), Belezika (Brett 58), Fitchett (Wright 71), Frear. Unused substitutes: Hart, MacDonald.

FC Halifax: Glennon, Ainge, Lowe, Roberts, McManus, Smith (Johnson 64), Maynard, Pearson (McReady 86), Wilson, Gardner (Williams 46), Holsgrove. Unused substitutes: Senior, Marshall.

Referee: Adam Hopkins (Plymouth).

Man of the match: Lois Maynard.