League One side Lincoln City have suffered disappointing news ahead of their upcoming fixtures against Leyton Orient, Mansfield Town and Burton Albion.
The Imps have had a mixed season so far, having enjoyed an impressive start, only to see a poor run of form drop them down the table. However, their fortunes have taken another blow following their 1-1 draw with Cambridge United last time out.
In a sluggish game, with both sides struggling to craft any real opportunities, Lincoln brought on new signing Joe Gardner. The attacking midfielder/forward joined on loan from Premier League side Nottingham Forest in an attempt to bolster the club’s attacking output.
However his debut was cut short. After only four minutes he received a straight red card for a challenge on an opposition player in front of the Cambridge bench. Replays showed that the card was harsh, something manager Michael Skubala agreed with.
What did Michael Skubala have to say on the incident?
Speaking to BBC Radio Lincs after the game he stated:
“There’s hardly anything in it. The poor kid has come on for his debut after two minutes, he’s made a tackle. I don’t think he’s even off the ground, he’s just got there late, and because their bench is up in arms, I think the referee gave him a red card.
“It’s a yellow card, no doubt about that, but it’s not a red card. If it’s over the other side of the pitch or in the middle of the pitch, it’s a yellow card.
“Because it’s near the bench and everyone is up in arms down in the corner there, he gives a red card.”
Lincoln City Appeal Results
It would appear that the club agreed with his sentiments. They lodged an official appeal against the decision. However, upon review they have upheld the initial decision and maintained the punishment of a three match ban.
This decision will see him miss the upcoming games against Leyton Orient, Mansfield Town and Burton Albion and see him return for the away trip to Barnsley in March.
Why Wasn’t The Decision Overturned?
Unfortunately with the way the system works, they are unable to overturn the red card and award a yellow. This means they would have to remove the red card completely.
These decisions are subjective and to overturn an on field official the bar has to be set high to ensure they have the ability to manage the game effectively.
Even Michael Skubala admitted that it was a yellow card offence, which ultimately means that the decision is unlikely to meet the threshold. It does look harsh, and the replays clearly demonstrate this. However, it is not enough of a discrepancy to see the result overturned.
What does this mean for Lincoln City?
Lincoln City have really struggled with their attacking output since October. With Bailey Cadamarteri and Jack Moylan both having suffered injuries in recent weeks, Gardner was one of the options brought in to ease the burden.
The midfield does lack some creativity, with Ethan Erhahon out, McGrandles and Hamilton has been used with Bayliss often taking the third spot in midfield. If he was to suffer an injury it would seriously limit the amount of chances the strikers will receive.