ROYAL Wootton Bassett manager Paul Braithwaite was left scratching his head at how his side fell to a 1-0 defeat against Longlevens as both sides finished the game with 10 men.

After a fine performance last weekend during a 3-0 victory over Oxford City Nomads as they banished the memories of their 7-1 crushing at Ardley United, however, Bassett were unable to make it two wins in a row.

The Gloucester-based side were the first team to see red when they lost a player for two bookable offences.

However, that is where the problems began for the Gerrard Buxton Sports Ground men.

From the resulting free-kick that saw Levens reduced to 10 men, Curtis Meare sold his defence short with a pass.

The Hellenic League Premier Division sixth placed side ghosted in but the shot was saved by Bassett stopper, however, he was outside of his area and he too was given his marching orders.

With no keeper on the bench, club captain Steve Yeardley picked up the gloves and was on course for a clean sheet until Brad Martin grabbed an injury-time winner.

“It was a very strange game,” said Braithwaite, whose side remain in 11th place.

“They went down to 10 men having had one of their players sent off for a second bookable offence. For me it was the correct decision.

“Then from the free-kick our keeper, Curtis Meare, plays a pass that fall short and they get the ball and shoot, but our keeper saves the ball outside the area and is sent off.

“So from having a man advantage, we are now both down to 10 men and we have no keeper.

“We had to put our club captain Steve Yeardley in goal. To be fair to him, he did a decent job and dealt with most of what was thrown at him.

“In the 91st or 92nd minute they get the goal. That was really disappointing – he was clearly offside.

“So in the end our own mistake and a mistake from an official has cost us one, possibly three points.”

Despite the defeat, the Bassett boss was satisfied with his side’s performance against one the division’s form teams.

“Longlevens are a good side, they are sixth, but they didn’t really cause us any problems,” Braithwaite, who has signed Sam Ockwell from Toolstation League Corsham Town, said.

“I felt confident going in half-time, then a couple of wrong decisions, one from us, and it has cost us the game.”