Monmouth Town's Kingfishers played at home on Saturday 6th February for the first time since early December, but failed to grab a victory against bottom-but-one Welsh League newcomers South Gower.
Forced to change formation to cater for the absence of influential sweeper Andrew Smith and speedster Elliot Ford, Town's attempt to secure a vital win was further hampered by the dismissal 38 minutes in of Dean Palmer (pictured right) for using foul and abusive language – a red card that meant the withdrawal of top scorer Phil Tranter, as managers Burns and Pick moved to shore up what was already looking like a shaky defence.
At a stroke, the Town's attacking strength was undermined, and on a very muddy pitch. Passing the ball quickly and with certainty was impossible.
Admittedly, Tranter and Bowen had gone close in the first half, denied by good saves by Honey-Jones; and a mazy run by Sam Palmer had ended with a powder puff finish; and the Gower men had let the Kingfishers off the hook with wayward playing. But both teams looked woefully out of sorts, and the game lacked any real shape or discipline.
With only three minutes of the second half gone, Alderdice was judged to have been pushed in the area, and Sam Palmer's spot kick was emphatic. The game ebbed and flowed as the ball bobbled and jigged, and it was always likely that Town would need two goals to get all three points. And so it proved, as the defence was undone by a neat through ball, and Roberts was beaten by a toe poke.
A couple of other chances were passed up by both sides, as the tireless Bowen ploughed a lone furrow and tried his best to grab a foothold that could lift Town back into the game. But it was all to no avail, as both sides settled for one scrappy point apiece.
Robin Pick summed it up: "Ten men. 50 minutes. Hard work."