By ADAM MAY

A MOSES Ademola brace condemned nine-man Chelmsford City to a 2-1 home defeat to Bromley, who went top of Conference South with the win.

The first half was uneventful and it was Ademola who broke the deadlock after 53 minutes with a header following a break upfield from the visitors.

Things got worse for City in the 63rd minute when skipper Mark Hughes was sent off after collecting two bookings in the space of two minutes.

Chelmsford spirits were lifted when Michael Toner netted an eqauliser in the 83rd minute.

But Ademola dashed the Clarets’ hopes of salvaging a point when he bagged the winner five minutes later.

And the hosts ended up with nine men on the pitch when Harry Hickford was given his marching orders in the 90th minute for a dangerous tackle and manager Mark Hawkes banished to the stands after a melee involving both sides in the wake of the incident.

Hawkes was frustrated at the result and some of the refereeing decisions but maintained there was very little difference between the two sides.

“Mark Hughes got sent off for a tackle when I thought we were going to get the free-kick,” Hawkes said.

“He picks up another yellow card and gets sent off. The game hinged on that moment.

“There was an elbow flung by them in our box in the first half but nothing (was given).

“Then in the second half a player is flattened five seconds after a corner, nothing. Michael Cheek then gets booked for very little.

“I can’t really argue with Harry’s sending off. I didn’t think it was a bad decision, like their 14 and 15 and their bench having to go on the pitch, which ended up with me getting sent off.

“I don’t understand why when there's a melee like that one from a side gets picked on and their 14 and 15 walk off scot-free.”

Chelmsford, who are eighth in the table, are at home again on Saturday when sixth-placed Basingstoke Town visit.