AUCHINLECK Talbot knew they had a hard task to get the better of in-form Irvine Meadow, but it was made even harder after only half-an-hour of the match after having two men sent off.

And manager Tommy Sloan would have been raging at the pair for their conduct - if it hadn’t been Tommy himself and player coach Derek Anderson.

The Talbot bench became embroiled in a war of words with their Meadow counterparts not long after kick-off, and Sloan and Anderson were at the thick of it.

But Sloan, proclaims his innocence and feels he was harshly treated by the referee.

He said: “There was a little bit of touchline banter with Chris Strain, that was all. I was surprised to be sent off.” Sloan was sent to the stands, where he was supposed to be a passive bystander, but he was caught in the act giving some hands-on advice.