Vanarama National League North: Bradford Park Avenue 1 Salford City 2

SALFORD City came back from a half-time deficit to snatch a narrow victory over Bradford Park Avenue that kept them second in Vanarama National League North, but the incident that had everyone talking was the late dismissal of the Ammies’ keeper Max Crocombe.

The stopper received a straight red card three minutes from time after relieving himself.

Referee James Oldham was talking to his assistant level with the edge of the area in Avenue’s half when he sprinted towards the goal at the other end of the pitch and brandished the red card to a dumbfounded Crocombe.

Salford’s goalkeeping coach, former Avenue keeper Craig Dootson, termed it ‘Weegate’ and said: “I’ve honestly never seen anything like it in all my years in the game.

“At first we thought it might have been for leaving the pitch without the referee’s consent, but that’s only a yellow-card offence.

"The red card was for urinating during the course of a game. Max told me he’d gone off the pitch to pee because he was in so much pain.”

Avenue manager Mark Bower claimed that he ‘didn’t see the incident’ but was also left shaking his head as he’d never witnessed that type of dismissal or behaviour before.

Bower was more concerned about his side not putting their chances away in a game spoiled by strong winds.

Bower said: “It was like a cricket match in a way - we had a bat in the first half with the wind behind us and they (Salford) had a bat in the second half.

"I think the difference was that we didn’t make the most of our innings.

“When we were going forward and creating the better chances, we didn’t score enough goals and then we conceded a couple of really poor goals in the second half.

"Those goals weren’t down to the conditions - they were just bad ones to give away.

“So again it comes down to not being good enough in both boxes. We’ve spoken about it before and it’s frustrating because it’s another game we should have got something from.

“I didn’t see any difference between the sides, and to say that about us and Salford with their sizable budget and full-time players speaks volumes.

"We’ve shown that we can compete with the top sides in this league and we’ve done it again in this game, which they were delighted to get out of with the three points.”

Despite Avenue dominating the first half, their one goal came from the penalty spot after Nicky Clee was fouled in the area in the 14th minute.

Oli Johnson stepped up and sent big stopper Crocombe the wrong way.

Avenue’s keeper Ed Hall had no saves of note to make in the first half and had no chance when he was finally beaten when the Ammies grabbed a 79th-minute equaliser.

A cross from left back Ibou Touray dropped to Mike Phenix in the area and he stabbed the ball in from a yard out.

Three minutes later, the comeback was complete as substitute Augustin Mufatu, who had come on just before the leveller, burst down the right flank and drilled a ball into the goalmouth.

Hall and Avenue centre back James Knowles both tried to deal with it but collided and the ball deflected off them and in off the far post.