Maine Road 1 Barnoldswick Town 0

Player-manager Kevin Richardson was sent-off as Town’s seven-game unbeaten run came to an end on Monday evening.

They were holding the Premier Division title chasers when Richardson received a straight red card.

Richardson won a tackle but was adjudged to have scraped his studs down the back of Maine Road striker Tom Bentham’s leg.

The referee’s assistant was right on the spot and told the referee it was a straight red.

It proved to be the turning point in what was an extremely close-fought encounter.

Town’s ten men re-organised and rolled up their sleeves, but they were struck by a second blow minutes later.

Matt Warburton cut in from the left and smashed a shot past Billy Carrington for the only goal of the game.

Bentham and Warburton both went close as Town became stretched, but the visitors were by no means out of the contest.

Midfieldman Chris Ridehalgh came close to an equaliser when his back heel from a Liam Blades cross was saved by the Maine Road keeper.

Town pressed hard in the final ten minutes but just could not find an equaliser.

A point would have been a just reward as they battled hard throughout, but the sending off was crucial.

Recent signing Tom Bradley was involved in the thick of the action at both ends of the field in the first half while Aaron Hollindrake, restored to the side, was unlucky to see a shot hit the outside of a post.

Hollindrake’s strength troubled the Maine Road defence as did a stream of corners from Blades, but unfortunately Town couldn’t get the goal their endeavours probably deserved.

Unfortunately their hopes were to be cruelly dashed by Richardson’s dismissal and Warburton’s goal during a key period in the game.

But they could reflect on a battling performance which revealed real character against a side who are pressing for promotion this season.

Now they will be looking to bounce back when Runcorn Town visit the Silentnight Beds Stadium on Saturday.