MATTY Holmes admitted he felt “a bit hard done by” after Wimborne went down 1-0 to Salisbury at a chock-a-block Cuthbury yesterday.

Kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes as 657 fans piled through the gates to see Magpies beaten by Justin Bennett’s first-half strike.

The hosts laid siege to Salisbury’s goal after the break and had a Luke Holmes goal controversially wiped out before the same player was denied a penalty after tumbling over Thomas Wright’s leg in the box.

Matty Holmes told the Daily Echo: “It was a great atmosphere. I said to the boys ‘what a great occasion to play football in’. But it wasn’t quite to be.

“I hope people will come back, I really do. I thought we knocked the ball around really, really well in the second half.

“I’ll have to have a look on video at the disallowed goal, but I do feel a bit hard done by. I thought Luke got contact when he went down and all the boys said he did... but the referee saw fit not to give it.”

Gerard Benfield twice denied Wright from close range during the opening exchanges, before Bennett sent a shot bobbling against the post.

But the Salisbury striker made no mistake after he had seized on Stefan Penny’s undercooked back header five minutes before the break, Bennett prodding past a stranded Benfield to give his side what would be a decisive lead.

“We did sail close to the wind in the first half,” added Matty Holmes. “Salisbury did a bit of a job on us and we were guilty of making some mistakes.

“The goal was a back header straight to their lad and he’s prolific in those situations. That’s what he thrives off.”

Holmes was left bemoaning “a tale of two halves” after Wimborne threw everything at getting a second-half leveller.

Magpies’ creator-in-chief Luke Holmes’s curling effort was ruled out for offside during an incisive build-up involving Louis Kellaway and Toby Holmes.

Jack Lovell’s goalbound strike was blocked by Elliot Wheeler and, at the death, Kellaway headed straight at Salisbury number one Alexander Bass from Toby Holmes’s cross.

Magpies: Benfield, Penny (Bayston, 86), S Davidson, Maybury, Hester, L Holmes, Kellaway, Stokoe, Lovell, Cann (J Davidson, 80), T Holmes. Unused subs: Griggs, Lanahan, Walker-Harris (g/k).