Cox left frustrated as 10-man Poppies claim point at Hereford

Kettering were forced to settle for a point from a dramatic 3-3 draw, with Cox's men playing out the final 20 minutes plus stoppage time with just 10 men following the dismissal of Michael McGrath for two yellow cards.

The Poppies had turned around a 1-0 half-time deficit to lead 2-1 and then 3-2 at Edgar Street, with new signing Callum Powell scoring twice and one from Ryan Fryatt, but the home side snatched a point with an 80th-minute equalsier from the penalty spot from Lennell John-Lewis.

"I was disappointed with the first-half, I think we looked a little disjointed," said Cox, who has now seen his team draw their past two matches in Vanarama National League North.

"We tweaked it at half-time and I thought up until the sending off we were the better side.

"I am disappointed to not win the game, and I thought all three goals we conceded were down to ourselves, not down to a team who has created chances and cut us open.

"But I want to look at the positives. We have come away from home and we have ground out a good point with 10 men for the last 20 minutes.

"The lads have worked extremely hard and it was tough at the end because Hereford threw everything at us and overloaded us in areas, but I am still disappointed we didn't win."

Cox was unhappy with the decision of referee Thomas Kirk to dismiss McGrath, and feels his team are currently not getting the rub of the green when it comes to the decisions of the officials.

"I know I am talking about referees again, but there were some strange decisions in the game," Cox told thepoppies.online

"I don't think the second one for Macca was a booking, but we seem to be on the receiving end of the bad decisions at the moment.

"Hopefully that will even out though, and we can't do anything about it.

"But it's a point, it should have been three, and we now move on to Tuesday."

The draw sees the Poppies move to up to 19th in the table, and they are back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to second-placed Kidderminster Harriers.