Welwyn Garden City learned the hard way that playing a man light for 55 minutes against Southern League Division One Central leaders North Leigh will not bring you points.
For the opening 42 minutes of this clash, the Citizens more than matched their table-topping visitors and had even shocked them by taking a third-minute lead through Dernell Wynter.
But in the minutes before half-time, the game turned on its head as Bailey Stevenson got his marching orders for a stamp on North Leigh skipper Michael Hopkins.
The Welwyn man proclaimed his innocence and the club left the Pexhurst Stadium contemplating the use of video evidence to appeal the decision.
The damage was done though and two second-half goals left them nursing a 3-1 loss.
That start though gave no hint of what was to come.
James Mulley won a strong tackle on the edge of the area and forced the ball through to Stevenson.
He overhit his cross to the far side but Wynter retrieved it and beat North Leigh keeper James Foster with a fierce, rising effort high into the net.
Wynter could have had a second not long afterwards.
An Alex Harris free-kick was met by the head of James Kaloczi in front of goal but as Wynter closed in, his effort was blocked .
Gradually, North Leigh began to force their way into the game and from a 26th minute right-wing corner, they got on terms, Lance Williams stealing in on the near post, to glance a header past Charlie Crowley.
WGC tried to respond immediately, skipper Brad Wadkins latching onto a misplaced pass to crash a powerful effort at the North Leigh goal, but it went well wide.
Even after the Stevenson-Hopkins clash, it remained a tight contest with both sides having chances to take the lead in the six minutes of stoppage time.
Owen Dore hit a powerful long range effort just wide for the visitors before Cyrus Babaie latched onto Ryan Kirwan’s cross to centre for Wynter.
His header, and a chance of a second, went just past the target.
The Citizens had an early second-half chance too.
Kaloczi’s fine through ball put Wadkins through only for his shot to deflect off North Leigh central defender Declan Peart and over his own crossbar.
But just past the hour, it was North Leigh who took the lead.
Owen James raced down before squaring the ball across goal to the back post, where Adam Smith on the back post had an easy task to force home.
Ten minutes from time, the visitors sealed the points when James was put clear from near half-way.
He finished his run with a cross-shot past Crowley, that struck the far post on its way in to seal the points.
The defeat means Welwyn are now down 13th with two losses in their only two games in 2024 so far.
They have put an end to the sequence that saw six wins from seven, which started with a 2-1 win in Oxfordshire.
WGC travel to bottom of the table Kempston Rovers on Saturday.
WGC: Crowley, Harris, Kaloczi, Steele, Kirwan, Mulley (Jones 84), Soulya-Osekanongo, Wadkins, Stevenson, Wynter (Jordan 78), Babaie.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here