PHIL PARKINSON admits referee Ollie Yates made the right decision with George Evans’ red card but he feels all clubs are picking up “petty” bookings this season.
There was just one sending off, with wing-back Callum McFadzean dismissed in the goalless draw at Barnet, but Evans became the third Reds’ player after Ryan Barnett and Andy Cannon to be shown a straight red card in League Two this season when he was given his marching orders following a late challenge in Saturday’s 2-1 home win against Colchester United.
Parkinson cited a change in rules for an increase in cards being shown to all clubs.
“It was probably the right call with George,” said Parkinson. “It wasn’t an intentionally late tackle but he did catch the lad.
“It is just the pettiness of the bookings but I think everybody is finding it across the board.
“Howard Webb changed a few rules about wanting to caution players for delaying restarts.
“The Ben Tozer one for instance on Saturday where I am shouting some information on to him as he’s running to take the throw, to get booked for that is what a lot of manager’s are finding.
“I sent a lot of those types of bookings to the head of the referees to review and with nearly all of them, he came back and said they shouldn’t have been bookings but referees are trying to implement these directives, but it is implementing them with a bit more common sense.”
