Counting Carey's Cost

DEREK Adams believes the referee’s decision to send Graham Carey off cost his side a chance of getting a result against MK Dons, and intends on appealing the dismissal.

The Greens slipped to a third straight defeat in Sky Bet League One, with events against the Dons baring some eerie similarities to the opening game of that unwanted streak. At Home Park, after falling behind in first half but certainly posing a threat in the game, Argyle were suddenly down to 10 men, 12 minutes before the break. 

Graham Carey went to ground to make a challenge by the touchline and referee Charles Breakspear opted to send off the playmaker. Adams disagreed with the call and is confident that an appeal would see it overturned. 

“I’ve just looked at it on the video [and] I don’t think it’s a sending off,” said Derek. 

“One foot goes in for the tackle, the other one is on the floor. It’s a tackle; it’s a booking at most. It’s a little late, but nothing malicious in it. It’s a contact sport and the tackle had to be made. But the player for MK Dons makes a real deal of things and allows the linesman at the near side and his referee to make a quick decision. That changes the game, but I don’t think it’s a sending off. 

“I didn’t see it at that moment in time. It was quite tight and I thought there’s a tackle, but I just don’t understand how a referee can make that decision so quickly. Maybe they were too on top of things and they get caught up in it. 

“I don’t see it being a dangerous challenge. He was sliding along the floor and the player’s flipped himself and up and done a few cartwheels to make sure that the referee and linesman see it. 

“We’ll speak to the powers that be and we’ll look at the footage again. I feel we should appeal the situation. I feel it’s a red card that we should appeal. We’ll have to see what the chairman and the chief executive say. 

“When they [the officials] look back on it, they’ll see it was a sliding challenge, and the reaction of the player makes it look worse. We all make mistakes, and hopefully they’ll look at the video footage and say ‘listen, I’ve got that decision wrong.'" 

Brakespear received a rough reception from the Green Army during and after the game, as did a clutch of visiting players for, seemingly, plenty of gamesmanship. Adams approached the referee after the match for his explanation on allowing the Dons’ actions to go ahead, and wasn’t satisfied with the response. 

“I spoke to him after the game and said to him about the time wasting,” said Derek. “He said to me he booked three of their players for time wasting, but my recollection of the game is not that. I didn’t see him book anyone for time wasting. 

“He didn’t give us anything. MK Dons were disappointing as a team, with the way they went down when they were getting substituted on the other side of the pitch. The referee allowed that. He didn’t book any of their players, in my recollection, for time wasting. 

“That was very difficult; it was stop-start. Early in the game, when he makes that big decision, it changes the game for us.”