Smith frustrated as Raymond red card costs Bromley FA Cup upset

Bromley boss Neil Smith admitted he was “disappointed” with Frankie Raymond after the midfielder’s sending off changed the game in their 3-1 defeat to League One Peterborough.

Bromley were giving an opponent two leagues above them all they could handle, and were even leading 1-0 through Frankie Sutherland’s free-kick when Raymond saw red for needlessly tussling with and lashing out at George Cooper.

Matt Godden equalised from the subsequent free-kick and then netted after the break before Joe Ward wrapped things up for Posh late on.

“We’d done everything we’d planned for,” bemoaned Smith. “To go a goal up, you’re hoping to get in at half-time with 11 men and then you set up yourself again like we did in the first half.

“I’m disappointed in Frankie, he didn’t need to do what he did. He was having a sound game, doing everything I was asking and it’s a needless sending off. I’m disappointed because the discipline from the boys had been fantastic up until then.”

Posh boss Steve Evans was more forgiving of Raymond, but admitted the referee had no choice but to show the red card.

“If you elbow someone in the jaw, the only relief afterwards is the kid hasn’t got a broken one,” said Evans. “But if you lift your hand you have to go. The referee had no option – it was silly on the boy’s part.

“I think if you got elbowed in the jaw you’d be lying down, wouldn’t you? It’s an elbow in his face – I don’t think the kid would do that again. I know him well enough to know that’s not the type of kid he is.”