Baffins Milton Rovers striker Tom Vincent handed ‘scandalous’ red card after ending up in hospital with serious facial injuries

The youngster suffered a fractured cheekbone, a broken nose and a fractured jaw in a challenge during yesterday’s Wessex League 2-0 home loss against Bemerton.

As the dual signed Winchester City forward was being led off towards the dressing rooms by the Rovers medical team, he was shown a red card.

Baffled Baffins boss Danny Thompson told The News: ‘I have never seen anything like it in all my years in the game.

‘Tom’s gone in for a challenge with one of their players, the ball has ballooned up in the air, and as Tom has got up to go for the ball he’s been smashed with an elbow.

‘The ref told me after he saw Tom leading with an elbow, that’s why he sent him off.

‘He said he didn’t see the Bemerton player leading with an elbow. Fair enough, but surely he could see my player on the floor with blood everywhere? It’s not rocket science.

‘How my player has ended up in QA Hospital and had a red card, and the Bemerton player has not even been spoken to, let alone get a booking, is scandalous. I couldn’t believe it.

‘I feel so sorry for Tom, he’s been a big player for us and he’s a really nice, genuine guy. That’s probably him out for the season now.

‘I’ve seen a picture of Tom’s face, and it’s not good - the left side of his face is swollen, his eye is closed and his nose is massive.

‘Tom lives in Newbury but his dad was at the game so took him to hospital. I think he left around 11pm.

‘(Horndean manager) Michael Birmingham texted me this morning, I said ‘Birms, I feel like jacking it in’. At the moment the players are not getting looked after by the officials.

‘At this moment in time, the officials at this level are not up to scratch.’

Vincent’s dismissal in the 66th minute meant Baffins had to play out the game with only nine men.

That was because another striker, Jason Parish, had been sent off in the 17th minute for a late challenge.

‘I’ve got no qualms about that one,’ said Thompson. ‘It was a bit reckless, it was late. For me, that was a red card.’

Bemerton, having seen top scorer Reece Rusher sign for Southern Leaguers Frome in midweek, took the lead just before half-time through Ronan Clancy.

Danny Young sealed victory when Rovers were down to nine men.

Parish will be available for Baffins’ Wessex League Cup quarter-final at Stoneham on Tuesday, but then will start a three-game suspension.

Earlier that day, Thompson has an FA disciplinary hearing - via Zoom - after being charged following comments made about the referee in the wake of Baffins’ 4-3 loss at Hamble in November.

‘It’s 66 days since the incident,’ he remarked. ‘Why has it taken that long? I was just expressing an honest opinion (in a video shown on Baffins’ social media pages).’