Hemel Hempstead Town FC endured a nightmare second half against Frome Town as their promotion hopes were dented in a 3-0 defeat.
With the scores locked at 0-0 at half-time at Vauxhall Road, the Tudors fancied their chances of going on to win the game – but three Frome goals and a red card for Danny May put paid to their chances.
The loss sees Hemel slip to fourth place in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division and they are now only six points clear of sixth-placed Gosport Borough.
The Tudors went into the game on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Banbury on Saturday, but Dean Brennan’s side looked fired up in the early exchanges on Tuesday night.
Charlie Mpi latched on to a poor goal-kick to race clear and tee-up Matt Nolan, but his effort was scrambled off the line by a Frome defender.
That signalled the start of an onslaught on the Frome goal, with Jordan Parkes, Mpi, Nolan and Dave Pearce all coming close to breaking the deadlock before the break.
It seemed as if it would be only a matter of time before the Tudors took the lead, but it was Frome who struck first to stun the Hemel faithful.
Soon afterwards, the visitors made it 2-0 when Moussa Diarra was harshly penalised for a challenge in the area which allowed the lead to be doubled from the spot.
Things were made even worse for the Tudors when May was dismissed for a reckless challenge, and Frome wrapped up the win with a third late on.