LITTLE Oakley lost 2-1 at Sporting Bengal United in a Essex Senior League game of strange sending offs and a sin bin, writes LARRY DOBKIN.

The Acorns started the game well and dominated the first 20 minutes which saw Mann have two good opportunities from corners, both with his head and both chances going wide of the goal.

The chances kept coming and a free-kick just inside the Bengal half was well won by Wood who found his central defensive partner Sibbons who tried a shot which went high and wide.

The ball was won back from the goal-kick where Mann started to run at the defence only to have his shirt almost ripped from his back.

The referee gave a free-kick, but no other action was taken.

The goal-kick was taken and fell kindly to the home side who started to attack from the centre circle where Mann tried to make a tackle while pulling his opponent’s shirt and was booked.

While Bengal were still under pressure they always looked dangerous on the break when a through ball went passed the Oakley defence putting the centre-forward clear.

But just when the shot was about to be taken, Sibbons made a goal-saving tackle.

The Bengal management team were constantly complaining to the referee, which encouraged the home players to join in.

Finally, the referee had enough and sin binned one of Bengal's midfield players and the manager.

With time up in the first half and injury-time being played, a good Bengal passing move seemed to have been stopped when an industrial tackle on Heart was played on by the referee resulting in a corner.

The corner was whipped in and the well met by Bengal's centre-half, who placed the ball past keeper Fowler.

Oakley went in trailing at the break The second half saw Bengal on the front foot when a free kick was floated into the Oakley box where Bengal were again first to the ball seeing a header go marginally past the post.

Oakley’s first attack of the half found the ball going safely back to the Bengal keeper, who took some time to kick the ball out.

Mann ran at the keep in attempt to speed play up and knocked the ball down before calmly and skilfully placing it under the keeper to equalise.

With both defences seeming to have the upper hand, a speculative ball from out of the Bengal defence saw their winger take the ball in the box on his chest while running by Cant and place the ball past the keeper.

The game became scrappy after that and the Bengal management started to become vocal with the referee, who had no other option than to show the manager a second yellow card and send him off.

A through ball in behind the Oakley defence saw Fowler come out and clip the attacker, receiving a straight red card for being the last man.

One of the Bengal substitutes was sent off near the end but the hosts held on to win.

Player of the game was Jack Sibbons, who deserved to be on the winning side.