Poor Barum beaten by Calne

BARNSTAPLE TOWN have been dragged back into the Toolstation Premier Division relegation mix after defeat to Calne Town.

Calne moved out of the bottom two and closed within a point of their hosts by winning 4-3 at Mill Road this afternoon.

Barum will look nervously over their shoulders after a poor game riddled with defensive mistakes, yellow cards and strange refereeing decisions.

Neurin Jones scored twice while Scott Evans and Russell Lodge completed the vital win for the visitors.

Despite taking an early lead through Steve Shore, and staying in touch with further goals from Shane Tolley and George Swain, Barum were punished for a poor display.

A bad-tempered game saw home manager Owen Pickard sent to the stands five minutes before half-time and to complete their misery, striker Stan Paxton saw red in the closing stages.

Starting in central midfield, Shore drilled the hosts ahead on 15 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the area.

If goalkeeper Steve Allison should have done better with that effort, he made amends by denying Ryan Turner from point-blank range.

Presented with a free header from Shane Tolley's freekick, Turner should have scored.

Another Tolley freekick from wide on the left was palmed away by Allison while Turner was tackled by Russell Lodge as he threatened to break clear.

Kurtis Parkin, making his debut in the Barum goal, did well to deny Tyler Sibbick when the striker broke beyond left-back Ian Patchett.

It was on the opposite flank though where Calne were starting to make real headway.

Right-back Joe Pryce was well off the pace as Sibbick created the equaliser on 40 minutes.

Exploiting the space in behind, Sibbick was felled by a rash challenge from Matt Deakin and the referee pointed to the spot for Jones to ram in the equaliser.

The defensive uncertainly continued after the break.

Jamie Frickleton and Pryce both sliced clearances as Parkin raced from his line, and Sibbick shot into the empty net.

That effort was controversially chalked out by the linesman's flag and the same thing happened soon after when Sibbick turned in Rob Drown's cross.

Between the flags, Evans made it 2-1 beating Parkhouse with a clinical volley after Barum didn't deal with a long ball forward from Mat Ralph.

If Barum were unhappy at the award of the first penalty then Calne were equally bemused as Chris Armstrong was penalised for fouling Deakin.

It looked a soft decision but Tolley wasn't complaining as he made it 2-2 from 12 yards.

Three minutes later however, Barum were behind again when Ralph pumped a freekick into the box and Lodge struck from close-range after Parkin saved the initial effort.

By now the hosts were terrified of Ralph's deliveries and another freekick from the skipper sailed beyond Parkin for Jones to head in at the far post.

Substitute George Swain pulled one back on 83 minutes after Turner drilled against the bar — but it was too little too late.

Pryce, Tolley, Shore, Andrew Rogers and Richard Elston were all booked for Barum and miserable afternoon was completed when Paxton was sent off for a late challenge on Ralph.

Barnstaple Town: Kurtis Parkin, Joe Pryce (Richard Elston 65), Ian Patchett, Paul Quinn, Jamie Frickleton, Steve Shore, Andrew Rogers (George Swain 53), Matt Deakin (Josh Pearce 70), Stan Paxton, Shane Tolley, Ryan Turner.

Calne Town: Steve Allison, Nathan Loader, Neurin Jones, Mat Ralph, Russell Lodge, Rob Drown, Liam Ralph, Jordan Roberts, Scott Evans, Tyler Sibbick, Chris Armstrong. Subs: Ollie Webb, Adam Shipman, Jeff Roberts.