Colwyn Bay 2, Bradford Park Avenue 0: The intriguing dismissals of two Avenue players should not detract from the abysmal display at already-relegated Colwyn Bay last night.

Manager Trevor Storton was left furious both with the referee and his players after second-half strikes from Robbie Williams and James McIlvogue gave the Welsh side just their fifth win all season.

But the main talking points occurred in the final seven minutes when Bradford, now winless in six, were reduced to nine men, losing two captains in five minutes.

First to go was Graham Mitchell, shown the red card after swearing at spectators while receiving treatment for a head injury.

The centre back was accused of faking injury by the fans and, despite the referee standing right next to him, responded and was given his marching orders.

Throwing his captain's armband at the referee did not help his cause.

Jason Maxwell picked up the band but had to give it up himself in the 88th minute when he received his second yellow card.

He was deservedly booked in the first half for retaliating after team-mate Danny Walsh had been tripped by Bay's Mark Limbert, just one of many incidents missed by the inconsistent and petty match official.

But with two minutes to play Maxwell fouled Anton Lally and then walked away. Lally took a free-kick and aimed it straight for the Avenue striker who had his back turned. The ball struck him and the referee then dismissed him for not retreating ten yards.

"He was an absolute disgrace," said Storton.

"I despair at these referees, how we finished with nine men I will never know."

But Storton's wrath was also directed at his side, who put in a decidedly lacklustre performance and were easily out-muscled by more motivated opposition.

"We were very poor," he said. "I was sickened that we should have been out-played by a side like this. We just weren't interested.

"Too many of these players think they can turn up and just win games, they think it is automatic.

"Well I can tell them now, it isn't. They need to perform or they can just leave. I am not going to stand by and watch players just go through the motions."

Maxwell volleyed over the bar in a first half of little creativity for the visitors, with relegated Bay looking much the stronger side.

After the break little improved for Avenue, who deserved to go behind when a Calvin Davies flick put through Robbie Williams to delicately lob Chris Howe.

An embarrassing mix-up between Howe and Mitchell allowed McIlvogue to sneak in between the two and loop a backward header over the keeper for the second - Howe was later substituted.

It was a 240-mile round trip that everyone wished they had never undertaken.