A moment of madness cost Tauranga City United any chance of taking some points away from Northern League Division Two leaders Western Springs at Links Avenue yesterday afternoon.
Connor Irvine, who until that point had shown a good deal of quality in helping keep a poised Western Springs outfit tojust a 1-0 lead, was sent from the field in the early stages of the second half for using offensive language towards an opponent after thumping into him with a hard challenge.
Gesturing with both hands for his opponent to get up after giving away the free kick, Irvine had plenty to say before he was sent from the field with a straight red.
The sending off was a great shame as City were playing some of their best home football all year and looked every chance of sneaking a goal on a number of occasions during an entertaining first half.
The visiting keeper, Matthew Upton, put on an exhibition that made all in attendance aware of why the league leaders have only conceded a single goal all season.
He scored more goals too; two in fact. His first came during the opening exchanges of the second half, and was a beauty.
The thumping left foot strike from the edge of the box was followed up later with a clinical finish from a goal line scramble, and all the time in between he was manipulating the City defence.
City's midfield seemed reluctant to guard the wily midfielder in the middle of the pitch, so ceded possession and position.
A goal in driving rain on the break from Liam Mulrooney put the 10-man City side out of the contest for good, before the visitors poured in a third through Burfoot.
Irvine was showered, changed and a spectator under the covered stand by then, left to watch his side limp home in the rain one man down with few shots to fire.
Western Springs 3 (Sam Burfoot 2, Liam Mulrooney) beat Tauranga City 0.
