Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver has sympathy for Paul Thirlwell following AFC Wimbledon red card

The Sulphurites’ number two was dismissed from the home dugout by referee Scott Jackson in the 82nd minute of the game as a result of comments he made to the fourth official.

The Town bench were left fuming after Dons defender Will Nightingale, who was already on a booking, escaped unpunished after wiping out Levi Sutton with a reckless late tackle which they felt was so bad it warranted a straight red.

And as frustrations boiled over on the side of the pitch, Thirlwell was deemed to have taken his protestations too far.

"There was a decision and we have seen it back, even Wimbledon’s management agree, it’s probably a straight red card and the referee has missed it.” Weaver explained.

"It was Nightingale on Levi Sutton. He has come over the top and, to be honest, Levi is lucky not to have a broken leg, so Paul told the fourth official what he thought, which is fair enough.

"He was disappointed, as was I, and we just want a fair crack. By and large, I think that we try and do the right thing, but it was frustrating and when they don’t pick up on these things, you are inclined to show a bit of passion, which Paul did.

"He told the fourth official that he didn’t agree with it to the extent where they deemed it not right.

"There are inconsistencies which drive people mad and I don’t blame Thirs for being frustrated. A touch-line ban for him will be a miss for us. He’s apologised but he can’t do anything about it now. It’s just a shame.”

On referee Mr Jackson’s decision to initially play advantage for Nightingale’s shocking tackle on Sutton, but failure to take further action, Weaver added: "In most cases, play goes on. He didn’t blow because he wanted to see if we had an advantage, which is fair enough.

"But then in normal cases, in every other game, it gets brought back and the official addresses what happened.

"Their lad is already on a yellow and that should have been a red card on its own, having looked at it again – but he didn’t bring it back.

"You just want a bit of fairness, a bit of consistency. It does go against us, whether it is because we are a smaller club, I don’t know, but it is very hard to fathom why he hasn’t addressed it, because it was a horrific challenge.”

Weaver also felt that the decision to dismiss Thirlwell was another example of inconsistency by the match officials given what he says he witnesses from opposition benches on a regular basis.

"The inconsistency is frustrating. We all know the culprits in this league, there are people wanting fights in car parks and threatening to ‘rip people’s throats out’,” he continued.

"I might get passionate in the odd moment and speak to the fourth official, but I can genuinely say that I’ve never said anything like that, and neither have any of my staff.

"So, for what Thirs said to end up being a straight red card when you see what has been condoned and accepted in other games recently, when you hear the language that has been used and people offering others out in the car park, it beggars belief.

"It’s frustrating being Harrogate Town where people almost take it as an insult when we stick up for ourselves sometimes.

"It's almost like they want to stamp things out at Harrogate to make an example of us.”

Town were trailing Good Friday’s clash at Wetherby Road 2-0 at the time of former Sunderland midfielder Thirlwell’s dismissal, but went on to stage a dramatic late fightback.

Luke Armstrong pulled one back in the 89th minute before Sutton crashed home a stoppage-time leveller with virtually the last kick of the contest.

Next up for the Sulphurites is a trip to top-of-the-table Leyton Orient on Easter Monday, 3pm kick-off.