Tooting & Mitcham United boss Craig Tanner admitted it was one of those days when his side went down 1-0 at home to struggling East Grinstead Town.

The Terrors could have broken into the Ryman Division One South play-off zone with victory over the Wasps, but a Guy Harding free-kick early in the second half stole the points.

Tanner said: “East Grinstead parked the bus and normally we’d get past it, but not on Saturday.

"We've had it before, where teams come here and just get 11 men behind the ball. Once we get the first goal, then it's fine, and that's shown in some big wins of late, but we couldn't do that.

“I cannot fault the attitude of the players, but maybe we lacked that little bit of luck we needed.

"They were always only ever going to score from a free-kick or penalty, and so it proved.”

He added: “By the end of the game we were getting frustrated and Howard Newton reacted to their tactics and got himself sent off, which was disappointing.

"They had their tactics that were primarily to under the players skin, and unfortunately Howard took the bait.

"He told me it's the first time he's been sent off in 17 years, so that shows how frustrating it all was.”

Tooting hosted Hythe Town on Tuesday night and they go to Horsham on Saturday.

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Shut out: Dan Summers, far left, could not add to his goal tally against East Grinstead Town

Tanner has been active in the transfer market, recruiting central defener Lewis Gonsalves from Dulwich Hamlet and allowing Jordan Cheadle to join Walton Casuals and Jordan Clarke to join Carshalton Athletic.

Tanner said: "Jordan [Clarke] has been on the bench for three games and he is at that young age where he wants to play football, so I cannot blame him for wanting to move on.

"Lewes is an excellent defender and he would have really given Jordan Cheadle some competition, but Jordan decided to move on."

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Ending on a sour note: Howard Newton is given his marching orders