Hollands & Blair beaten in the FA Cup by Lingfield in a match boss Luke Jessup says was one to forget – SCEFL Premier Division action resumes this weekend against VCD Athletic

Hollands & Blair manager Luke Jessup hopes to put last Saturday’s match behind them, describing it as “not a nice day to remember”.

He wasn’t impressed by the antics of FA Cup visitors Lingfield, the Surrey side leaving Star Meadow 1-0 winners but with few friends made in Gillingham after unsavoury events in the bar and the car park.

Both sides had five players booked and goalkeeper Dan Ellis was sent off for a supposed challenge on his opposite number when going up to try and grab a last-gasp equaliser. It was one of several incidents Jessup was left shaking his head at.

“Losing the game was a bitter pill to swallow,” said the Blair boss.

“From the way it was set out and some of the stuff their manager had said before the game, about it being their most favourable draw in 10 years, we tried to use that as motivation.

“It was the way they behaved throughout the game, it was just non-stop. There was no football played, just games being played throughout, it was just a hard game that went wonky in the car park. It just wasn’t a nice day to remember.

“Don’t get me wrong, we didn’t play too much football but we’ve had better days.

“I have watched the game back a couple of times. There were a lot of players going to ground, screaming. Their goalkeeper went to the floor after our goalkeeper went up for the corner but he hasn’t even touched him. He’d actually gone down before our keeper had got to him.”

The club are considering an appeal over Ellis’ red card as there’s video evidence suggesting no contact was made. CCTV footage in the bar area afterwards will also be examined after things got heated.

Jessup said: “Their keeper made a meal of it and there was unsavoury stuff like that [throughout] and it carried on afterwards.

“