It was a Saturday to forget for Lowestoft Town when they travelled down to Sussex for a first ever meeting with Hastings United.

A serious crash on the A12 closed the road, sending the team coach on a diversion through the highways and byways of Kent and Sussex, arriving at the ground at 3pm and delaying the kick-off by 30 minutes.

The Trawlerboys then dominated the game for the whole 90 minutes but without really threatening a goal.

They were also reduced to nine men with both Lee McGlone and Andrew Fisk sent off in the final 20 minutes.

It was by far the poorest game since the Blues' elevation into the Ryman League set-up.

To compound a really miserable afternoon, the Orwell Bridge was closed on the return journey entailing a detour through the centre of Ipswich.

With Matt Nolan not recovered from his efforts on Tuesday, Stuart Ainsley was restored to the starting line-up with Adrian Forbes again moving into a striking role.

Lowestoft's only real moment of concern came in the third minute when, from a seemingly offside position, Kenny Pogue headed a Michael Phillips past Andy Reynolds into the net.

Lowestoft dominated from there on with Joe Francis sending a 25-yard free-kick just too high and from another free-kick Adam Smith picked out Curtis Haynes-Brown but he failed to hit the target.

Play was held up for five minutes after Kenny Pogue clattered into Andy Reynolds, leaving both players requiring lengthy treatment before being able to carry on.

From another Adam Smith free-kick Greg Crane was just wide of the mark with a downward header.

If the first half had been poor, the second was even worse. There was virtually nothing of note until Lee McGlone was harshly sent off in the 71st minute for two yellow cards in as many minutes.

His first caution came as the ball was blasted into the back of his legs as he retreated from a free-kick and his second after a 50-50 challenge with Hastings skipper John Beales.

Despite being a man short, Lowestoft continued to monopolise possession. Stuart Ainsley and Adam Smith twice both saw efforts from distance dip just over the bar.

Joe Francis and Adrian Forbes combined to create a shooting chance for Scott Mitchell forcing home keeper Clark Masters into making a save, the only time in the whole 90 minutes that either keeper was really called into action.

In the final minute, with the Blues still on the attack, play was called back and Andrew Fisk shown a red card for an off-the-ball offence.

Even with just nine men it was still Lowestoft pushing forward in the three minutes of 'added time'.

• Hastings United: Masters, Jirbandey (Sub Logan 79), Elford, Russell, Beales, Olorunda, Barnes (Sub Adams 63), Phillips, Pogue (Sub Sawyer 63), Cade, Eldridge, Subs (not used) Whittaker, Chalmers-Stevens.

• Lowestoft Town: Reynolds, Cave-Brown, Smith, Fisk, Crane, Haynes-Brown, Mitchell, Ainsley, McGlone, Forbes, Francis (Sub Halliday 90), Subs (not used) Godbold, Forshaw, Bloomfield, Gaughran.

• Attendance: 418.