Peterborough United boss hits out at 'actor' of a referee after 'embarrassing' red card decision

The 19-year-old full-back was sent off 10 minutes from time for a challenge on Barnsley’s Stuart O’Keefe. Posh had just dragged themselves back into the game at 2-1. Replays showed clear contact from Mills, but his foot was on the floor. Ferguson described it as a ‘yellow card at worst’ and the decision to show a red as ‘embarrassing.’

If Posh can not get the dismissal overturned, Mills will miss three matches, leaving Jack Sparkes as the club’s only fit senior left-back. Ferguson did not, however, think much to the chances of success at appeal.

Ferguson was also displeased at the referee’s general demeanour during the game and expressed frustration at his own yellow card, picked up for stepping outside of his technical area, something he accused the Barnsley coaching staff of doing far more often.

He was also frustrated with the failure to show a yellow card for the penalty that led to Posh’s goal. Emmanuel Fernandez was pushed over in the box as he attempted to head home a corner. It was not clear who the offender was in a crowded box, but Ferguson felt it should have been a second booking. The only Barnsley on a caution at that time was centre-back and goalscorer Donovan Pines. Barnsley media believed Conor McCarthy was the culprit.

Ferguson said: “At 2-1, we’re back in the game and the referee makes an embarrassing decision. He’ll be embarrassed by that and that’s the way things are going at the moment. Anything that can go wrong, is going wrong.

"It’s a terrible decision. He couldn’t wait to do it. He sprinted to give Harley a red. It’s the first time he sprinted all game. He didn’t give himself any time to make a decision, it was just impulsive.

“I thought it was a red at the time, but when you look back at it his foot is on the floor. It’s a yellow card at worst, it’s a terrible decision. Referees are paid to do a job and he didn’t do his today. It’s an appalling decision. Maybe we do have the chance to appeal it, but we wouldn’t win as they don’t go against the referees.

“This referee is an actor an actor. He just runs around like an actor. We get a penalty. Manny is going to head it into an open goal. The lad has been booked but he doesn’t book him again because he says there’s no intent to stop a goal. They just make it up.

“I’m used to getting booked now in my career. I wonder why I get booked, I think I know. Their coaching staff were doing far worse than me in terms of going over the line. It’s the third time I’ve been booked this season for going over my line. it’s so tight at this place but he just allowed them to do it and obviously wanted me to get booked.”

It’s the second game in a row Posh have suffered a late red card after George Nevett was despatched in the 3-0 Boxing day defeat at the hands of Mansfield.