Guiseley 0 Dover Athletic 3

MARK Bower was left to rue a sluggish start and a harsh sending-off after Guiseley were dumped out of the FA Trophy in a third round replay on Tuesday night as Dover Athletic marched through to the quarter-finals.

It was not a happy return to Nethermoor as Guiseley played their first home game of 2016 because just two minutes after Dover’s Stefan Payne had broken the deadlock, the Lions had forward Will Hatfield sent off after a straight red card.

Nicky Deverdics doubled the visitors’ lead before Payne grabbed his second late on, leaving Lions boss Bower to reflect: “We were poor with how we started the game and began really sloppily.

“We gave the ball away too many times and were second to everything – we didn’t win many headers and they were picking everything up in midfield.

“They deserved the goal when they got it and they’re a top side who are fifth in the league and beat Gateshead 4-0 on Saturday.

“You know they are going to have spells when they are on top and obviously the red card happens and it just kills the game as a contest.

“It was very difficult for us after that.”

Amid a slow start from the Lions, the game turned midway through the first half as Payne gave the visitors the lead following a lofted ball over the top.

Within minutes, Hatfield was then harshly dismissed for a strong challenge on Ricky Modeste, leaving Guiseley facing an uphill task.

Bower said: “You see that tackle one week and it’s not even a free-kick.

“The next week it’s a red card, so there is no consistency and it seems whenever a Guiseley player puts in a tackle like that he is sent off.

“When it happens to a Guiseley player, the same doesn’t happen, so I’m disappointed with that. Will came in at speed but football is played at speed. We will have to have a look at it and look to appeal.”

After a poor first half, Bower’s men were better after the break but failed to ask questions of a resolute Dover back line.

The numerically disadvantaged home side put in a spirited display but two goals in the last 12 minutes saw Dover comfortably into the last eight.

Deverdics’ angled finish ended the hosts’ Wembley ambitions before an uncharacteristic error from Steven Drench allowed Payne to complete the scoring with an open goal late on, leaving the Lions to focus on their league survival bid, which continues at Altrincham on Saturday.