BOTH managers pledged their support to Ballinamallard player Jason McCartney’s bid to clear his name after an alleged head-butt storm.
The winger was red-carded for his part in a free-for-all which erupted in first half stoppage time after Johnny Taylor’s rash touchline challenge had dumped Mallards’ Steve Feeney on the Showgrounds stock car track.
But both Ballinamallard boss Whitey Anderson and his Ballymena counterpart Glenn Ferguson disagreed with referee Ian McNabb’s interpretation of an alleged attempted head-butt by McCartney, who could face a six-game suspension if the referee notes that as the reason for the dismissal.
“We had a player sent off for an alleged attempted head-butt which even Glenn Ferguson would say didn’t happen,” said Anderson.
“We’ll have to look at that because he could be looking at a six-game ban for something he didn’t do.
“There were a lot of players involved but most of them were trying to break the thing up. So hopefully that is taken into account.
“The initial tackle on the halfway line was absolutely horrendous – we’re talking about a challenge above the knee which could have broken the player’s leg. How it wasn’t a red card defies logic.
“But at the end of the day at one-all and down to 10 men, I would have taken a point.
“One thing that this club and this squad of players has is team spirit and sometimes that counts for a lot,” added Anderson.
FULL STORY IN MONDAY’S NEWS LETTER
Comments