WIMBORNE boss Matty Holmes hopes “common sense prevails” after they had three players sent off during a prestigious pre-season friendly against Poole last night.

Scott Arnold, Sam Davidson and Billy Maybury all saw red during the Mark Frowde Trophy, the official launch game at the newly-named Specsavers County Ground in Hamworthy.

The match had been arranged to mark a three-year partnership deal between Dorset County Football Association and Specsavers, aimed at supporting grassroots football in the county.

But it will be remembered for all the wrong reasons with Poole manager Tom Killick claiming it “became farcical” after referee Adam Baker had kept reaching for his cards.

As well as dismissing the Wimborne trio and issuing a flurry of yellow cards, the official also sent from the dugout Magpies goalkeeper coach John Macey and Poole coach Micky Hubbard.

Both clubs are now waiting to see whether there will be any misconduct ramifications, with Holmes fearing he could have players suspended for their opening Southern League South game of the season.

A spokesperson for the Dorset CFA confirmed they – rather than the FA – administered disciplinary matters in pre-season matches.

Arnold and Davidson, both dismissed for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, are likely to miss Wimborne’s next friendly, although Maybury could be in hot water as his red card was for alleged foul and abusive language.

Holmes told the Daily Echo: “With Scottie’s, we felt contact had been made outside the box and with covering defenders. We were upset the lad went down and they appealed for him to be sent off which was a shame.

“But he took it on the chin and I would hope that one will be dealt with and he will be okay to start the season.

“We felt Sam’s was a great tackle in the box. He nicked the ball and the lad fell over. Sam told the referee he had got the ball but didn’t verbally abuse him so, hopefully, he will be okay as well. Billy could be in a spot of bother though.

“John Macey asked the linesman about some decisions and was told he had verbally abused the referee and linesman which he didn’t and we have witnesses.

“We were disappointed all round. I know the referee has a difficult job and it was a game between two local rivals who are now in the same league. He did it to the best of his ability.

“I just wonder why referees and linesmen don’t work together because both the linesmen were nearer than the referee on the first two sendings off and had a better view.

“I am not going to complain about the referee. He did the best he could and made decisions on what he saw. I have no issue with him but we felt a bit hard done by with some of the decisions.

“I am just praying I don’t lose these boys for the start of the season, otherwise we will be down to bare bones.”

Poole boss Killick, who saw his team go on to triumph 5-2 against the eight men, described Wimborne’s first two red cards as “harsh”.

And he added: “The referee had a very difficult night and it became farcical. We felt we were on the wrong end of some poor decisions, particularly the first penalty awarded against us which was fairly ridiculous.

“Things deteriorated from there but I didn’t think Wimborne helped themselves. From our point of view, the red cards ended the game as a meaningful fixture which was not what we had wanted in terms of what we were trying to get out of it.

“It was disappointing it ended the way it did because, with Wimborne eventually down to eight men, it ruined the game as a competitive fixture and we felt we were in a strong position to win before it happened.

“This all detracts from that and it deprived us, for a large period of time, from having a meaningful friendly so it was disruptive and disappointing from a warm-up perspective. Both teams were hoping for a competitive work-out and, by the end, it wasn’t.”