Joey Barton was left with a sour taste despite Bristol Rovers' 2-0 win over Crystal Palace under-21s at the Mem in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, angered by the decision to dismiss Glenn Whelan in the closing stages.
Whelan received a straight red card following a fracas caused by a cynical foul by Kofi Balmer on Trevor Clarke seven minutes from time. The Rovers defender was running clear on the counter-attack but he was yanked to the ground by his collar.
A melee ensued and after deliberating with his assistants, Balmer was shown a yellow card by referee James Oldham and Whelan saw a straight red. It was unclear what the Irishman was deemed to have done in real-time, but Barton confirmed Mr Oldham said he made contact with a Palace player's face.
The midfielder is facing a suspension as a result, although it only applies to this competition, meaning he is available for league action. Barton says Rovers intend to appeal, but he made clear his frustration at the decision.
"Lots of positives," he said of his team's performance. "Obviously, the negative of Whelo getting dismissed, which I think we’ll appeal. We’ve got a different camera angle and if you’re going to send anybody off, surely it’s the scrum half for them who made a diving tackle?
"If you pull somebody back by the collar of their shirt, I think it’s dangerous. We’re seeing now with the concussion protocols and head injuries, it’s very dangerous.
"Just because they haven’t got studs on the end of it, for some reason referees deem it nowhere near as dangerous as when you make contact with your feet or your legs. The boy (Killian) Phillips makes contact only with the neck, shoulders and head of Sylvester Jasper in the first period and the referee doesn’t give anything.
"The boy (Balmer) has the opportunity to horse collar Trev as we’re breaking away. Disappointing because we’ve lost a man in the melee.
"I’ve tried to support it (the competition) in all my time but when I get officials like that who are basically on work experience sending my players off that don’t deserve to be sent off and all the while allowing young players to steam in and make stupid tackles and don’t book them or reprimand them because they’re young players, it’s a nonsense."
Rovers were in control for long periods of the game and took a deserved lead in first-half stoppage time with Alfie Kilgour heading home from a corner. Clarke made it 2-0 with a sweet strike in the second half to wrap up the points, taking the Gas to second in Group M with one game to play.
But it was a bruising night for the Gas, with Kilgour forced off with dizziness at half time after being caught in the head in the first half, and Sylvester Jasper and John Marquis also picked up knocks, which far from ideal ahead of Saturday's League One game against Cambridge United.
"We’ve had Alfie Kilgour kicked in the head for a penalty in the first half and the referee plays on and then tells our players it’s probably a penalty," Barton said. "That’s no good to us. Alf’s got to go through a concussion protocol from getting kicked in the head in the first half.
"We’ve got to assess Sylvester Jasper because he’s got a smack in the head and John Marquis the same."
SIGN UP: To receive our free Rovers newsletter, bringing you the latest from the Mem
READ NEXT:
