Clymping’s battling qualities are hailed

In a scoreless encounter, Williamson hailed his players’ battling qualities as he felt they stood up to their physical opponents.

Clymping felt Ferring unfairly questioned the Clymping linesman’s dec-isions throughout the game, which culminated in Ferring becoming increasingly frustrated and eventually they had Joey Matthews sent off for foul and abusive language, after an offside decision in the second half.

Williamson said: “I think we played very well, but they started to get more frustrated as the game went on.

“Unfortunately, a few choice words were exchanged, as happens on a football pitch at times. Our linesman was getting it in the neck for perfectly correct decisions and they did not like it.

“It was probably a fair result but, unfortunately, we have to report about other things than the football that goes on off the pitch, if you like.

“I was very pleased with my players, that’s two draws this season we have got off them and in the last two years I have been at Clymping, they have not beaten us.”

Clymping took the longer to settle and Ferring had two good chances early on but they either shot wide or the visitors defence got back to clear the ball.

The remainder of the half saw few chances created by either side, with most of the play in the middle of the pitch.

On 72 minutes, Clymping’s best chance of the match saw the ball fall to Rob Brown. With the ball bouncing around the box, the home goalkeeper flapped at the loose ball and Brown fired over from just six yards.

Matthews then saw red for his protests to the referee and linesman and, although they were down to ten men, Ferring went close to snatching the points.

Barney Boutwood broke away and went through one-on-one, but Tony Dehnehy, got back to put in a last-ditch tackle.

Williamson added: “Our central defenders John Reeves and Tony Dehnehy were very good after the first 15 minutes and controlled things at the back.

“They were trying to bully us off the park, so I was very proud of my players for standing up to it – especially as I had a few reserves involved as well.”