BALTI SPORTS 1

UPWEY & BROADWEY 2

BALTI Sports’ cup nightmares of recent seasons continued with a 2-1 home loss to Weymouth rivals Upwey & Broadwey in the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Senior Trophy first round.

Illustrating Balti’s frustration, Che Curran saw red late on as the hosts finished with ten men, and Rory Zima was then sent off after the final whistle for dissent.

Sports have struggled in cup competitions, despite league performances being largely impressive, and the same recipe was cooked up in this derby.

Balti were already without keeper Andy Nott when back-up Dec Spearing suffered a hip injury in the warm-up, meaning boss Marco Nott was required between the sticks.

READ MORE: Sturminster Marshall 3-1 Balti Sports - match report

Upwey, who were promoted to the Dorset Senior League this season, had to come from behind to secure victory after Callum Allison converted a Matty Chambers cross.

With Balti taking a 1-0 lead into the break, the hosts did not take advantage of the many good positions they found themselves in.

Their best effort was a Rory Zima long-range shot that failed to trouble Harry Reynolds in the Upwey goal.

And the visitors began to work their way back into the game, duly equalising when Charlie Allen weaved past the whole Balti defence before rounding third-choice keeper Nott to score.

Curran was sin-binned for dissent, handing Upwey further momentum, and the away side capitalised to the full extent as Jack Summers lobbed the committed Nott to seal victory.

There was further drama in the dying seconds as Curran saw red for violent conduct and then Zima was also dismissed beyond full-time as Balti ended the contest in tatters.

Speaking to Echosport, winning boss Steve Reynolds said: “I knew there wasn’t much between the sides, I thought advantage lay with us because we weren’t expected to beat them.

“It was a good game, there was no quarter given anywhere. They were gracious in defeat and we were obviously cock-a-hoop from winning the game.”

Opposing manager Nott was less impressed.

He said: “It was an absolute joke. I’ve had a lot of disappointing results in my tenure at Balti but the manner of Saturday was absolutely disgraceful.

“I’m not impressed at all with our lads. When the first half got under way it was as if it was a nothing game – it was a derby game and we just were not at it.

“It stunk of complacency and we had no right to be complacent.”

Nott added: “It was an extremely disappointing day. It was embarrassing, the two lads that got sent off.

“The lacklustre performance was just not acceptable from the whole squad in general.”

Upwey & Broadwey now have a home tie against Lyme Regis in the second round on Saturday, November 5.