Grantham Town are beaten by AFC Rushden & Diamonds

A 20-minute second half period that saw two red cards and two goals against the Gingerbreads settled the game at AFC Rushden & Diamonds on Tuesday night.

Grantham had looked on course to follow up Saturday's win over Worcester City when Brad Munns gave them the lead in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division clash.

However, Sam Muggleton was sent off after collecting a second caution shortly after the interval before Richard Black saw red for a rash challenge.

Cairo Taylor had equalised for Diamonds within five minutes of the dismissal before the hosts hit four more goals in the final 20 minutes to run out 5-1 winners, writes Graham Cowell.

Grantham boss Louis Bland said: "We were the better side when it was 11 against 11.

"They scored goals we probably should have stopped even though we were down to 10. In the end we ran out of legs with nine."

Grantham started brightly by attacking the home side down the left wing with Rodrigo Goncalves causing problems for the Rushden defence and Lewis Darlington twice went close in the opening five minutes.

Muggleton's long throw led to Grantham taking the lead after seven minutes as his delivery into the Rushden penalty area caught out the home side and Munns took advantage to power a header into the net.

The Rushden defence rode their luck twice in quick succession.

A Munns break saw the ball played to Goncalves and he delivered a teasing square ball that the home side scrambled clear.

A minute later Mason Lee went agonisingly close to a second Grantham goal. He won a challenge on the edge of the penalty area and went on to lift the ball over Rushden goalkeeper Ben Heath, only to see it cleared off the line.

Rushden settled and began to have good possession but found the Gingerbreads defence too tight to give them any chances.

Their best opening came 10 minutes before half-time when a free kick fell to Jamal Adams but his overhead shot went wide.

Grantham finished the half strongly with another Muggleton throw causing problems. It was only cleared as far as Goncalves who crossed it back in but Black headed wide.

Munns and Goncalves combined again after the break with Heath parrying away the former's shot.

The game began to unravel for Grantham after 51 minutes.

Muggleton was turned as Rushden looked for an opening and brought down his man. Referee Mr Price showed the Grantham captain his second yellow card and dismissed him.

Five minutes later, the scores were level as Rushden won a challenge outside the Grantham penalty area and the ball fell nicely for Taylor to slot home.

Calvin Green shot through a crowded area forcing Hall to save low to his left before a great strike gave Rushden the lead.

From 35 yards out, Jarvis Wilson ran onto a loose ball and drove a low shot past Curtis Hall.

The game was over for Grantham two minutes later.

A rash challenge from Black was deemed dangerous by the referee leading to a second red card for Grantham.

It was followed by a melee on the touchline which ended with a red card on the Grantham bench and only a yellow for the home dug-out.

Despite pressure from the home side, it was only after remaining centre half Harvey Henderson had to go off injured 10 minutes before the end of the game that Rushden took advantage.

Hall had denied Adams twice in quick succession after 78 minutes but he set up the third goal as Grantham tired.

Three minutes from the end of the 90 minutes Adams had too much space and drove a low cross to the far post where Charlie Green turned the ball into the net.

Two goals in added time from Fraser Corden and an Adams penalty gave the final score a lopsided look.