Whether he has a sixth sense or not, AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley was convinced after only a few minutes that the League Two clash at Mansfield Town would end with a flash of red – and he was right.
Lyle Taylor was the man sent off in the second half of Saturday’s 1-1 draw for an errant elbow, meaning he could miss the next three games, including this weekend’s trip to Yeovil Town.
The Dons have appealed the decision, but Ardley is not hopeful of a positive outcome.
Meanwhile, the boss was left fuming at a referee who he says “lost control of the game” and got “every decision wrong”.
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Ardley said: “It was a poor performance from the referee. I must have a sixth sense for this because in the first five to 10 minutes, I thought ‘We’ve got one of those’.
“He had given a free-kick against Bayo going up for a challenge with a centre back “I asked the fourth official ‘How on earth does he determine who has fouled who there? They are both trying to use their strength and Bayo is stronger than everyone’, and he said ‘He has seen the other guy go to the floor and presumed he’s been fouled’ and I said ‘What?’ “At that point I said ‘Listen, I am starting to see a theme here already’.
“I sensed it, and since watching the game back he got literally every decision wrong.”
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He added: “Even the assessors said he made some naive decisions.
“I did not have a good view of Lyle’s sending off so I asked was it intentional and the assessor said ‘No, I don’t think so’.
“The ref’s report said there was intent – and you’re left thinking that the assessor says no, the ref says yes – now what?
“We’ve appealed the decision, but I don’t fancy our chances by any stretch of the imagination.
“I’ve looked at the sending off, but all the camera angles are from the far stand, and all you can see is the defender’s head go back as he throws himself to the floor.
“The problem is you have to prove that the ref got it wrong, and the camera angle doesn’t prove it.”
Ardley has little sympathy for referees in general, although he insists he is not looking for perfection from the man in the middle.
He said: “If you’re getting into this line of work, you know, like me as a manager, you’re going to get criticised.
“That’s part of the job description and you have to deal with that.
“All you want is somebody to go in, nice and calm, assess the game for what it is, and make as many good decisions as he can.
“The worst ones are the ones who lose it quite early on, and lose control of the game.”
Barry Fuller
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