UCL Premier Division Newport Pagnell 4 St Ives Town 0 A NIGHTMARE day for St Ives saw them reduced to eight men as ill-discipline brought their run of five consecutive league draws to an end. Joint manager Jez Hall blasted the performance of the refere

UCL Premier Division

Newport Pagnell 4

St Ives Town 0

A "NIGHTMARE" day for St Ives saw them reduced to eight men as ill-discipline brought their run of five consecutive league draws to an end.

Joint manager Jez Hall blasted the performance of the referee who sent off three of his players and failed to dismiss a Pagnell player for a blatant-looking elbow on Dan Pilsworth.

The hosts dominated the game and took the lead after 17 minutes through Vinny Shrieves, but Danny Nicholls was the star of the show as he netted a second-half hat-trick to consign Saints to their first defeat since October 21.

St Ives' Will Fordham and Ian Fovargue were both dismissed for second bookable offences and Stefan Lewis saw red for an innocuous looking foul.

Hall said: "We didn't play particularly well but the refereeing performance was not up to scratch.

"One of Fordham's bookings was for time-wasting at a throw-in when we were trailing 1-0 and on the attack so I can't explain that one."

St Ives were due to play Eynesbury in a rearranged Hunts FA Senior Cup tie last night (Tuesday). Boston Town are Saturday's visitors to Hall Road while Saints make the short journey to Yaxley next Tuesday for another league game.