THE CONTROVERSIAL sending off of player manager Mark Molyneaux on the stroke of half-time proved to be the turning point of Trafford's 2-1 defeat at the hands of high flying Harrogate Town at Shawe View on Saturday.

The visitors dominated the opening stages and after just four minutes dangerman Robbie Whellans cut inside Lee Southwood but shot straight at Molyneaux.

The home keeper then saved superbly from Elliott and saw Harrogate left winger Ball shoot into the side netting from just eight yards as the Yorkshiremen pressed forward.

However in the 29th minute Trafford took the lead with their first chance of the game, Darren Emmett pouncing on a miskick from goalkeeper Ashley Connor to guide the ball into the empty goal from 30 yards.

Shortly afterwards Trafford striker Dean Butterworth had a chance to make it two with a snapshot from 15 yards that Connor blocked with his legs and then Whellans squandered another great chance when he screwed his shot past the near post.

Two minutes into time added on at the end of the first half, Harrogate equalised in extremely controversial circumstances.

Molyneaux was adjudged to have handled the ball just outside his penalty area and much to the disbelief of everyone on the ground, was shown the red card.

Darren Emmett donned the goalkeepers jersey but failed to hold on to the resultant free kick and after a goalmouth scramble, McNaughton drilled the ball home.

Trafford were now really up against it, having to play for the whole of the second half with ten men, but the Shawe View side were simply magnificent.

Butterworth skied a shot over the crossbar from 25 yards and Anthony Hogan fired past the far post following neat approach work by Leon Diaczuk.

In the 56th minute Peter Weston had a good chance to put Trafford ahead once more when he dispossessed Ord but again fired into the sidenetting.

Six minutes later Harrogate struck again when Craig Elliott burst through two rather tame challenges by the home defence and struck a fine shot into the bottom corner past the helpless Emmett.

In a last desperate gamble to get back onto level terms, Trafford made a triple substitution, introducing Phil Bayliss, Chris Patterson and Tom Newton, but despite some superb interpassing, particularly through the midfield, they failed to penetrate a visiting defence in which former Leeds United star Neil Aspin was superb.

In the 76th minute Harrogate broke forward with Ball clean through but Emmett produced a great save which he repeated eight minutes later when Harris burst clear.

In the dying seconds Trafford knew it wasn't going to be their day when they won a free kick 30 yards from the Harrogate goal.

Darren Emmett left his goal and advanced to unleash a wickedly curving shot that cannoned against the crossbar and rebounded into play before referee Hogg from Sheffield brought an end to the proceedings.

The Shawe View men were once again left to reflect on a refereeing decision that was to prove so costly, coming on the heels of last week's 89th minute penalty that robbed them of a draw in the FA trophy at Moor Green.

On Saturday, Trafford will be hoping to return to winning ways when they travel to Humberside to play North Ferriby United in a Unibond League Division One game kicking off at 3pm.