MARK Yates blasted referee Richard Wigglesworth for sending off Robbie Matthews in Harriers’ last-gasp defeat against managerless Luton Town at Aggborough.

The giant striker received his marching orders just before half-time for allegedly stamping on the Hatters’ goalkeeper Mark Tyler.

It was a controversial incident which Yates felt changed the course of the game in which 10-man Luton won with a dramatic 90th minute goal from substitute Ryan Charles.

The angry Aggborough boss believed the decision to send off Matthews was “inexcusable” in a pulsating match in which the visitors had midfielder Rossi Jarvis dismissed earlier in the first-half for a rash challenge on Harriers’ captain Chris McPhee.

Regarding Matthews’ early exit, Yates said: “I genuinely thought he tried to hurdle him to get out of the way and if he caught him it was minimal because Robbie is 15 stone and if he lands on you I think you know about it.

“The referee said Robbie stamped on his head. I can’t accept that and I won’t. If Robbie kicked you in the head I think you would stay down a bit longer than he (Tyler) did.

“The big turning point was Robbie’s sending off. We were 1-0 up, it should have been two or three and we were the only team in the game.”

The match provided an entertaining spectacle for the bumper 2,927 crowd who created a rousing atmosphere reminiscent of when Harriers last played the Hatters. That was in 2002 when both clubs were in the Football League.

This time, precious Blue Square Premier points were at stake with Luton hitting back from being 1-0 down to secure a victory that lifted them into the play-off places.

Defeat nudged Harriers down to ninth spot after an absorbing encounter in which they took the lead on 13th minutes when Matthew Barnes-Homer notched his seventh goal of the campaign.

It was the result of a fine through ball from Duane Courtney which the alert front-runner chested down before turning to fire past Tyler, who shortly afterwards pulled off an excellent save to deny Brian Smikle.

In the 40th minute Jarvis was sent off for his challenge on McPhee which led to him leaving the field injured a couple of minutes later. Just before the incident, Jarvis had cleared an effort from McPhee off the line.

The tension mounted two minutes into first-half stoppage time when Matthews was dismissed to set the scene for a second period in which Luton quickly began to look far more threatening.

Indeed, it was no real surprise when they drew level in the 76th minute with a fierce shot from Adam Newton which went in off the underside of the bar.

A Luton winner always looked likely and it duly arrived with an expertly-taken goal by Charles following a cross from Asa Hall.

Harriers: Coleman, Courtney, Riley, McPhee (Caines, 45), Baker, Bennett (Hadley, 82), Finnigan, Smikle, Knights (Hayward, 54), Barnes-Homer, Matthews. Subs not used: Dolman, Farrell.

Referee: Richard Wigglesworth (South Yorks).

Attendance: 2,927.