ANGRY AFC Ludlow saw red as their West Midlands League Division One title hopes were derailed by a controversial 3-1 home defeat to promotion rivals Lads Club.

Ludlow finished with only eight men after Jamie Hammonds, Dale Hodge and Luke Hicks were all sent off by Alex Shaw and boss Dave Cooper fumed: “I think the game was too big for the referee and he wasn’t up to the job. Some of his decisions were unbelievable.

“It’s not an excuse as we didn’t turn up for the second half, something that has happened to us on several occasions this season. The referee’s performance was not the reason we lost but it never helped and it is a blow that all three players will now have suspensions.”

With table-topping Shifnal Town not in action, it means AFC?lost their game in hand on the leaders, and trail them by six points with seven matches to play. But there could be a minor readjustment at the top with lowly Bartestree’s record set to be expunged after they quit the league.

Cooper added: “It is difficult to see us winning the title now and perhaps some of the pressure will be off and we can relax and just play. But we need to make sure we finish second in the table - promotion was always the target.”

Lads Club are Ludlow’s main challengers for runners-up spot but they followed the weekend win by losing 2-1 at Wem on Monday, and are now eight points adrift of AFC with three games in hand.

Ludlow began well on Saturday with Dale Hodge firing them into a first-half lead. Hodge and Kieran Dovey also hit the woodwork in a game that turned against Ludlow on two controversial second-half incidents.

First a sliding tackle from Matt Watkins was deemed to have conceded a penalty and Lads Club player-boss Danny Moon levelled from the spot, Hodge and Hicks both booked for protesting.

Then a nasty two-footed tackle aimed at Keanu Cooper but also following through on Hammonds triggered a melee that ended with both the perpetrator and Hammonds sent for early baths.

To rub salt into the wounds, the 25-yard free-kick from Jay Cuthbertson, mysteriously awarded to Lads Club, saw the visitors take the lead and things then went from bad to worse for an incensed Ludlow camp.

Hodge was dismissed for a harsh second yellow and Lads Club had stolen a third goal from Matty Evans before Hicks followed late on when an aggressive but fair challenge earned him a second yellow card.