CLEETHORPES Town squandered a two-goal lead and bowed out of the Lincolnshire League Challenge Cup with a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Ruston Sports at Lucarly's.

The Meggies were forced to begin the game with an outfield player in goal, Joel Creasey standing in between the sticks.

They received another set back just before half-time when Matthew Toften was sent off for violent conduct – which proved pivotal.

The odds appeared stacked against the home side but goals from Neil Batts and Josh Sharp gave them a 2-0 lead at the break only for Ruston hit back twice in the second half before grabbing the winner early into extra-time.

Batts gave the Meggies a great start, opening the scoring with a close-range finish after Neil Horsfall headed Toften's cross back across goal.

Craig Tomlinson blasted a free-kick over the bar as Ruston appeared to adopt a shoot-on-sight policy – but without testing the novice Creasey in the Cleethorpes goal.

And the hosts made them pay by grabbing a second with a move that showed great quality in the final third. Philip Hutchinson slipped in Toften who beat his man to cross low into the box where Sharp was on hand to slot the ball home past Ruston keeper Phil McGann.

It should have been an unassailable two-goal lead.

But then the red mist struck as Toften was dismissed for violent conduct after an off-the-ball incident with Tomlinson, who was booked for his part.

Stuart Hutton hit the bar for Ruston but Cleethorpes held on until the break.

From the restart, though, a mix-up between Creasey and Horsfall led to the latter conceding a penalty as an attacker darted through and in on goal.

Steve John slotted home the spot-kick.

Ten-men Cleethorpes almost restored their two-goal advantage when Mark Crow's header from a cross by Hutchinson hit the upright.

But Ruston began to apply pressure with Niall Forbes, Reddington and John all going close before Reddington's header finally gave the visitors their equaliser.

After Ruston sat back at 2-2 Cleethorpes should have grabbed a winner late on, Sharp wasting a great chance after a cross from Taylor Gray - who provided energy and drive down the wing from his full-back position.

Extra-time beckoned and again sloppiness from the kick-off proved Cleethorpes' undoing as John capitalised on a mix-up between Simmons and Steve Clarke to put Ruston 3-2 up.

Cleethorpes didn't give up. Louis Bartlett fired at McGann who saved well, Bartlett hit the bar with a strike inside the area and two further chances from distance saw Ross Wheatley fire just over and wide in quick succession.

But Ruston held on to secure victory.