BLACKFIELD & Langley have surrendered top spot in the Sydenhams Premier Division – deposed by an astonishing rearguard action from new leaders Moneyfields.

Dave Carter’s Money men miraculously held on for a 2-1 victory at Gang Warily on Saturday despite playing the last quarter of the match with nine men.

B&L threw everything at them, but chance after chance was repelled by the braveheart visitors who held strong with two banks of four after goalscorers Steve Hutchings and Gary Austin had been sent off.

Although the Watersiders can count themselves unlucky not to have at least salvaged an equaliser, assistant boss Chris Farrell admitted: “The big issue was the two stupid goals we gave away in the first 15 minutes.

“Liam Robinson pulled one back just before half-time and we were all over them like a rash second half, but the damage had been done.

“We didn’t deal with a free-kick and Hutchings scored from two or three yards out and then a ball came straight over the top, Brad (Snelling, goalkeeper) went to chest it down and Austin took it off him.

“We’ve only kept one clean sheet in the league and that has to improve," he stressed. "It’s not just about the goalkeeper and defenders, it’s the whole team.”

Farrell could not quite believe what he was seeing after Hutchings had got his marching orders for a second yellow and Austin followed for what he branded a “shocking tackle” on Luke Winsper.

“How we ended up with nothing, I don’t know,” he said. “It was like the Alamo.

“We must have had eight kicked off the line in the last 20 minutes but, credit to Moneyfields, they defended like men possessed.

“The longer it went on, the more desperate we became. We had all the ball, all the pressure. For 60 minutes you couldn’t fault our performance - apart from the end product.”

Chuffed Moneys’ boss Dave Carter marvelled: “Blackfield threw everything at us but we put up two banks of four and put our bodies on the line. It was a fantastic way to win a football match.”

After seven straight victories, Blackfield have drawn one and lost one in the league and must look to get back to winning ways at Lymington Town tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm). “We need to get back to basics and stop conceding stupid goals,” said Farrell.

Lymington were soundly beaten 4-0 at home by Andover Town on Saturday. Liam Gilbert and Adam Grange put the visitors 2-0 up at the break and a couple of second-half Rudi Plummer goals topped it off. Plummer almost had a hat-trick, but his volley rattled the bar.

Andover tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) pay a league visit to Amesbury Town who whipped Whitchurch 6-0 in the FA Vase - Dave Parry (2), Luke Walker, Ben Cook, Craig Wheeler and Grant Powell the scorers.