AFC Wimbledon boss Dave Anderson branded referee Ron Ganfield's display as "rubbish" as debutant Lee O'Leary saw red during Saturday's defeat to Hampton & Richmond.

Two goals either side of half-time from Rob Paris and Ian Hodges condemned the Dons to a 2-0 defeat to their fellow promotion chasers - but it was the sending off of O'Leary, just 33 minutes into his debut, that was the game's major talking point.

The former Hendon man, who only joined the club last Tuesday, was given a straight red for a reckless tackle on Marvin Bartley - but it appeared that referee Ganfield was just going to book O'Leary.

However Ganfield changed his mind and sent the midfielder off after deliberating with one of the assistants.

And boss Anderson was fuming with the referee's decision, he said: "I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed to have lost the game and I'm disappointed about the sending off - that was a massive decision.

"I thought the referee was rubbish to be honest. I thought the decision influenced the football match. It's a top of the table clash so it's always going to be full blooded and to make a decision like that speaks for itself."

Anderson also jumped to the defence of O'Leary after the 22-year-old's disastrous debut.

"I thought it was a foul and I thought it was a booking - but I think sending him off is very harsh. Lee isn't going to go out and try and break someone's leg on his debut. It wasn't the referee that said it was a red card it was the linesman. He's changed his mind.

"Lee had a bad touch and he was already committed to the tackle and their lad has got in there first and Lee has then come in. It's a free kick but not a sending off."

After a slow start to the game it was Alan Devonshire's side that created the first real opportunity when the impressive Lawrence Yaku's header flew just wide after 19 minutes.

But then the Dons' afternoon started to fall apart on 26 minutes when Rob Paris bundled in the opener after a goalmouth scramble and then seven minutes later O'Leary was given his marching orders for the rash tackle.

Steve Butler came close to equalising for the Dons on the stroke of half time but his header from a Michael Haswell corner flew just wide.

Anderson's men emerged for the second half visibly pumped up but any hopes they had of salvaging anything for the game were dashed six minutes into the second half after Yaku terrorised Jermaine Darlington down the left and his cross was nodded into the net by Ian Hodges to give the Beavers an unassailable two goal lead.

Roscoe Dsane and Paul Lorraine both had chances to put the Dons back in the game but Hampton held for a well deserved three points which put them second in the table and pushed the Kingsmeadow outfit into fifth.