COACH Will Croker felt a “harsh” refereeing decision had been pivotal in Bournemouth’s 15-14 defeat by National League Three South rivals Ivybridge on Saturday.

Lions had mastered difficult playing conditions to establish a 14-0 lead at the interval at Ivybridge’s Cross-in-Hand headquarters in Devon.

But an eventful second period for Grant Hancox saw the centre controversially sin-binned before returning to miss a crucial late penalty.

Hancox was yellow carded by referee Charlie Gayther after he had been judged to have failed to retreat the required 10 metres as the hosts looked to take a quick-tapped penalty.

And Ivybridge made their numerical advantage pay by scoring a converted try which proved to be decisive in the final reckoning.

Croker told the Daily Echo: “I thought it was harsh. Grant made an effort to get back 10 metres before making the tackle but got binned for it and that eventually told.

“They took the quick tap and Grant was alert to it. He ran back to our try line before coming up to make the tackle. But because there were other bodies in the way, I think the referee just didn’t see him make his ground so he thought he had encroached. We just had to take our punishment, get on with it and rearrange.”

Jack Hennings touched down for his first try of the season to draw first blood for Lions before Wyn Roberts took his personal tally to 14 for the campaign, both efforts converted by Hancox.

Matt Grieveson reduced the arrears from a penalty before Hancox saw two kicks blown off target by a swirling wind.

James Sloan’s unconverted try made further inroads into Lions’ lead before Mike Cox went over – and Grieveson converted – to put Ivybridge in front for the first time. Hancox was unable to save the day as his penalty again got caught in the wind.

Croker added: “We controlled the first half incredibly well. Our continuity and work rate were absolutely fantastic. We got to half-time 14-0 up having worked against what we thought was the inclement weather.

“But we never really got a toe-hold in the second half. Our accuracy dipped when we tried to clear our lines, we didn’t kick well enough and we invited them on to us. It was a tough day.

“We played our best rugby of the second half in the final 10 minutes and worked our way into position to take a shot at goal. Unfortunately for Grant, he just slid it to the right of the posts. It was inches from sneaking the win for us.

“We defended very well for the period Grant was off the pitch but it was exhausting. The pitch was very heavy and, when you are defending with 14 men against a buoyed team who are throwing everything at you, it takes it out of you.

“Eventually their pressure told. They put virtually their entire team into a driving maul to get them over the line so it was a real dagger in the heart.”

Lions: Gwyther, Everett-Bolter, Hancox, Chandler, Roberts, Chislett, Hardcastle, Tarrant, Fraser, Firetto, Treloar, Warwick, Hennings, Yeats, Rees. Subs: Hughes, Kochanowski, Veneroso.