NICK Holmes was left to rue Michael Fowler's early dismissal as Salisbury suffered their first home league defeat since early December.

The midfielder was red-carded after just 13 minutes of the 2-0 home loss to promotion hopefuls Cambridge United for a two-footed challenge by West Sussex referee Dave Phillips.

In addition, Salisbury assistant boss Barry Blankley was dismissed from the technical area.

Holmes said: "It was frustrating - the whole game hinged on the incident.

"The referee saw it as a two-footed tackle with studs showing and sent him off.

"In my day it would have warranted a yellow card but times have changed and that's the way you've got to accept it.

"My initial thought was that I could see he went in two-footed, but I don't think his feet left the ground as though he was actually trying to maim anyone.

"I don't think that was over the ball in any way.

"We gave away two poor goals, but at the end of the day I can't criticise my side because for 75 minutes-plus they fought against a very good, strong, hard-working Cambridge side.

"I don't think they should be too hard on themselves."

Referee Phillips has now awarded ten red cards this season, and Holmes added: "I can't say that I agreed with many of his decisions but I'm never too critical of referees - it is a tough job.

"He got a lot of decisions wrong today and probably showed an air of arrogance.

"People have said over the last month or so that you must give referees respect, but when you see the way he spoke to people and treated people then respect must be two ways.

"If you're going to act like that then you're going to get quite a lot of verbal back."

Of Blankley's sending off, Holmes said: "Barry asked him, admittedly with a swear word in there, to make sure he stopped his watch while the time was being wasted.

"It's a thing that regularly happens but again the referee showed that he had to be seen to be in charge.

"I'm sorry to be going on about it, so let's call it to an end by just saying he was very poor today."

Cambridge took the lead after half an hour when West Ham loanee Jack Jeffrey scored his first ever professional goal.

Ten minutes later slack marking allowed Mark Beesley the chance to bury a header for his 16th goal of the season.

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