Rochdale Assistant Manager Chris Beech claims George Donnelly’s sending off against Accrington was because the ref ‘panicked and didn’t know what to do’.
Donnelly received his marching orders with just seconds of the first half remaining for a tackle on Nicky Hunt in his side’s 2-1 victory at Accrington Stanley.
Beech argued that the referee appeared confused as to whether he had blown the whistle for half time or the tackle itself.
“For me he (George Donnelly) has won the football, I think the ref panicked a little bit,’ Beech told The Dale Player.
“I think he blew for half-time. I don’t think really he knew what to do.”
Beech was equally unimpressed by the role Accrington defender Hunt played in the sending off.
“I’m not saying he feigned injury but he’d recovered very quickly to start the second half, let’s put it that way,” Beech said.
When quizzed on whether Dale would appeal the decision, Beech replied: “I would imagine we will (appeal).”
Despite his obvious frustration at the sending off, Beech was delighted with Dale’s resilience, as they withstood the home side’s bombardment to hold on for their first away of the season.
“It was a different type of pressure,” said Beech. “It was very direct with a lot of things coming in the box, it was very pleasing (to win).”
Matthew Lund and Scott Hogan had put Dale up 2-0 within 13 minutes. But six foot three inch Accrington striker Kayode Odejayi pulled one back, before Donnelly saw red meaning his team mates faced the arduous task of playing the entire second half with ten-men.
“We’re becoming an expert team at defending leads with ten men,” Beech added, acknowledging Dale’s recent knack of triumphing in adverse circumstances.
Two weeks earlier Dale defeated Bury 1-0 despite playing 52 minutes a man down, when Peter Vincenti was sent off.
The victory was Dale’s third in a row, and moved them into the League Two play-off places on goal difference.
Image courtesy of Rochdale FC via YouTube, with thanks.
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