Soham Town Rangers joint-manager Robbie Nightingale has admitted he was disappointed to see his men drop points for the first time in four league encounters last night.

The Greens had defender Jordan Gent to thank after he netted a last-minute leveller to snatch a point from their contest with Waltham Abbey, but Nightingale saw Soham’s fifth league match unbeaten as two points dropped, rather than one gained.

“Jordan’s goal came as a big relief,” he said. “We started OK, moving the ball pretty well and we created two or three chances which we should have really taken.

“We had a one-on-one which we should’ve scored and then Robbie Mason missed with the goal at his mercy.

“They went down to 10 men and then scored two minutes after, which I can’t get my head around.

“We went down to 10 men ourselves but battered them from then on. We attacked which left us open at the back and George Lawton, who is one of the best goalkeepers in the league, saved us a couple of times.”

Nightingale also slammed the discipline of his players after Mason was given his marching orders in the second period after receiving two cautions.

Mason’s dismissal was Soham’s second in three weeks, and Nightingale says that he and fellow boss Dave Theobald will not tolerate ill discipline on the pitch.

“It was two needless bookings from Robbie,” he said. “In our playing days, myself and Dave never really picked up any bookings, and it’s something we’re not happy about.

“It’s needless because it means you have to hold back with your tackles and that puts us at a disadvantage.

“You can say what you want to the players before, but as soon as they cross that white line it’s down to them.

“I have to say that the referee got both red cards spot on.”

Soham’s excellent recent form has fired them away from the relegation zone and into 16th, and Nightingale has refused to rule out a shock play-off push.

“We’re only 11 points off the top now, so if we can get a few more wins then we could push into the play-off places,” he said.

“But at the moment we’re drawing too much with the teams around us, and that needs to change if we’re to move up the table.”

Soham welcome Haringey Borough, who sit one place below them, to Julius Martin Lane on Saturday (3pm).