Director of football Craig Fleming was disgusted by the behaviour on display in an angry 20-man brawl during Lowestoft Town's 1-1 draw with Boston United.

Jack Ainsley rescued a point from the penalty spot for the Trawlerboys in the 61st minute, just five minutes after Boston had been reduced to 10 men.

Pilgrims full-back Rene Steer was sent off for kicking during the brawl, with Lowestoft's Dean Mason having been thrown to the floor during the scuffle.

Former Norwich City defender Fleming felt the red card was fully deserved, even if there was no need for the scuffle in the first place.

Match report: Lowestoft Town 1 Boston United 1

'It all started because we got a free-kick and one of them ran over and kicked the ball away, kicked it out of play, so it was a bit of handbags at dawn which then escalated,' Fleming said.

'But the lad that got sent off, I'm not sure who was on the floor, but he's had three or four kicks at him.

'Kicking people when they're on the floor, I've never seen that on a football pitch before. I've seen punches thrown but not kicking someone on the floor, that's just ridiculous. He knew, it was just ridiculous, cowardly.'

Fleming was mainly concerned with his team having managed to fight back to earn a draw though, to make it four points from three games between Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

'It was a tight game, the conditions were terrible, the pitch is in a bit of a state, played in a gale, so it was never going to be a pretty game, it was going to be a battle,' Fleming continued.

'With the size of the squad we've got, with the injuries we're collecting, we've just got to keep battling. Boston are obviously a top-six club, so all in all I think that's a good point.'

Fleming also picked out goalkeeper Ashlee Jones and goal-scorer Jack Ainsley for praise, adding: 'Ashlee played very well, Jack Ainsley played very well, he was very cool with his penalty and he's got quite a few now, so he's very confident.

'He'd already taken one against their keeper (during the 5-3 loss at Boston on Boxing Day) so he knew where he was going to place it, but all over the pitch, the lads worked really hard.'

Lowestoft are back in action on Sunday, away at Conference North leaders AFC Fylde (3pm).

Match report: Lowestoft Town 1 Boston United 1