DORCHESTER Town boss Glenn Howes insisted the Magpies “deserved something” from a pulsating 4-3 loss against Swindon Supermarine at the Avenue Stadium.

In a game that had almost everything, Dorchester went down to ten men in the 16th minute when Harvey Bradbury was adjudged to have kicked out at Marine right-back Sam Turl.

And Howes refused to apportion blame on the towering striker, who now faces a potential three-game ban if Dorchester decline to appeal his dismissal.

Speaking to Echosport, he said: “It was a really emotional game, full of emotion from both sets of teams.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 3-4 Swindon Supermarine - match report

“Even the officials I thought were embroiled into the game a bit too much.

“We were full of determination and desire to win and not let Swindon do the treble on us, which is really upsetting and unfortunate.

“In all three games they would be the first to recognise we should’ve deserved something. That’s the hurtful thing about football sometimes.”

He added: “Bradders has backed into the lad and I do feel he’s gone down far too easy.

“We see that day in, day out. Football’s a contact sport and it does spoil the game to a certain degree.

“Bradders has his heart on his sleeve. He’s an aggressive player, there’s no way I’m going to take that aggression out of him.

“Early on, he’s pinned him and they’ve gone at each other. The lad’s just dropped down, felt contact. Did it deserve a red card? I don’t think so.

“He’s tapped (Turl) and he’s rolling around on the ground, he’s asking for treatment, not getting up. That doesn’t require that drama.

“The lad’s chosen to do it, he’s got to live with it and he’s probably pleased he’s done it.”

Dorchester defied their numerical disadvantage to go 1-0 up through Keith Emmerson but Supermarine scored twice in 60 seconds early in the second half via Harry Williams and James Edge.

Shaq Gwengwe levelled with a fine finish but Supermarine then looked to have the game sewn up when Henry Spalding and sub Conor McDonagh netted.

Howes said: “We struggled to get out and you can only weather that for so long.

“You could argue they started the second half the better. They’ve taken their chances. Credit to them for taking the lead.

“Again we dusted ourselves down and Shaq has got us into the game.”

Gwengwe then won and missed a penalty before a good finish from Kieran Douglas made it 4-3 in the 91st minute.

He added: “Our spirit, character and personality was in abundance. There’s no way this group will lie down and accept anything.

“I guarantee you, many teams out there in that position at 4-2 on the back foot (with) ten men would’ve capitulated.

“There’s no way the boys were willing to accept that. We’ve pushed bodies forward to try and ask more questions.

“We made it really difficult. Towards the end, bless Tiago (Sa), if it had fallen to anyone else that ball hits the back of the net.

“You can see significant, good chances were created by us. That comes from not just being good footballers, it comes from determination, character and personality.

“You can give up and it becomes a cricket score but there’s no way this group are going to do that.”

Dorchester drop to sixth ahead of a trip to Tiverton on Saturday (3pm).