Wadham Lodge’s difficult start to the season continued as they went down to a solitary goal at home to Tower Hamlets on Saturday.

Hamlets took a deserved first-half lead but the home side’s efforts to get back into the game took a big dent when goalkeeper Steven French was dismissed a minute after the break for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity after a rash sortie out of his penalty box.

Lodge reorganised well with centre midfielder Callum Hubble repelling all Hamlets could throw at him between the posts, whilst still remaining in the game themselves.

And they almost pulled level at the death when Andrea Mantovani’s free-kick was superbly turned onto the crossbar by the Hamlets keeper.

The loss made it three home defeats in a row for Wadham, and manager Neil Day said: “Obviously this isn’t the start we wanted but everyone needs to stay calm and focus on what we’re try to achieve.

“Two of those defeats were by the odd goal so it’s not like we’re being blown off the park which is the only silver lining.

“Hopefully if we can continue to work hard and a few things go our way we will turn things round sooner rather than later.”