Two goals up inside nine minutes at Sophia Gardens, Fareham were dreaming of causing one of the upsets of the NOW: Pensions Western Conference season against title chasing Cardiff & Met.

But a succession of yellow cards after the break proved the catalyst for an eventual 4-2 defeat by the Welsh hosts, who climbed back to the top of the table by virtue of fog causing the postponement of Team Bath’s home game with Barford Tigers.

With James Seager and Rob Wilson working abroad and striker Josh Godfrey coaching his Canford School side, Fareham sent a depleted squad across the Severn Bridge.

But it didn’t stop them taking a shock 2-0 lead – Jon Potts seizing possession to set up a maiden goal on British soil for Australian Daniel Sampey and then Ben Hibberd converting a penalty corner.

Cardiff gradually gained a foothold in the game and, when Welsh international Liam Brignull tucked away a 20th minute penalty corner, the Dragons were back in the game.

The early stages of the second half saw Fareham lose their discipline, with four players sin-binned at various stages and the visitors left playing with ten men for long periods of the session.

“It eventually cost us the game against very strong opposition,” conceded coach Ben Barnes.

“Losing players to suspensions during a game has not been a problem up until now, but we have to learn from this if we want to compete and get a result from the top teams in our league.’ Cardiff scored twice in six minutes to turn the game around – Dan Kyriakides applying the finish to a penalty corner and soon after Rhys Gowman making it 3-2 from open play.

Ten minutes later James Carson wrapped up the points for Cardiff.