Ray sent-off in Hastings draw

Hastings United fought out a 2-2 draw at home to Margate in a Ryman Premier match which saw both sides reduced to 10 men.

The Gate opened the scoring on 21 minutes when Kwesi Appiah followed up a free kick which been parried by Lloyd Anderson in the home goal.

Hastings levelled just past the half hour courtesy of dead ball specialist Fred Foreman who curled his set piece over the wall and into the bottom corner of the net.

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Margate midfielder Dan Stubbs was given his marching orders just before half time for allegedly stamping on a grounded Jack Walder.

The U’s wasted no time in making their extra man count because a couple of minutes into the second half Josh Jirbandey got on the end of a Foreman corner and diverted his header into the top corner.

Arron Hopkinson went close to adding a third before United were stopped in their tracks by the controversial decision to not only award Margate a penalty but also show a second yellow card to captain Sean Ray for handball when there seemed no way he could get out of the way of the ball.

Appiah made no mistake to claim his second goal of the afternoon and then Adam Birchall skied a great chance to snatch all three points in stoppage time.

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Hastings: Anderson, Manning, Bolwell, Walder, Ray, Jirbandey, Hopkinson (Jones 79), Hall, Pogue (Tate 74), Foreman (Crellin 74), Billings. Sub not used: Sutton.

Referee: Elliott Kay (Hainault). Attendance: 348.