Crane 3 Lowestoft Railway 4

Division 4NE

Crane 3 Lowestoft Railway 4

Crane were left cursing an umpiring decision as they narrowly lost to Lowestoft Railway.

Lowestoft started the brightest, moving the ball well and putting Crane under pressure, but it was the home side who created the first real opening.

Bristow and Williams combined down the right before Williams' teasing cross rolled across the face of the goal saw Bristow, at full reach on his reverse side, get enough on the ball to lob it towards the empty net.

The Lowestoft defender blocked the goal bound shot with his body, but whilst the stroke was awarded, no yellow card was produced.

Craig Bloomfield stepped up and converted the stroke, but as the Crane players turned to celebrate, the umpire blew for a hit out, citing the old rule of only being able to take one step for the flick.

Crane were incandescent, more so when they went behind shortly afterwards following a good move down the right by Lowestoft.

Crane struck back, Bristow scoring from a Bloomfield PC rebound and Bloomfield himself blasting in the next PC.

At half time, and after consultation, the conscientious and otherwise well performing umpire admitted the mistake to both teams, however there was no Nottingham Forest v Leicester style gesture from Lowestoft to make the scores correct.

Shortly after the restart Bristow won another flick, being taken out on his way around the keeper, which again Bloomfield buried.

Lowestoft struck immediately to reduce the deficit and for a long time the scores were locked.

Crane then hit the self destruct button, missing Jones through illness they were exposed at the back and when Bloomfield went off with cramp the visitors equalised and stole the winner, all disappointing goals for the defence to concede.