Still mystified over Ryan Hall ‘booking’

John Still has declared himself mystified over the booking - and later sending off - of Ryan Hall against Plymouth on Saturday.

The club have contacted the referee and the FA as it appeared Hall did not receive an initial caution following an incident with a Plymouth player.

Hall was then shown a red card in the 82nd minute for kicking the ball away. He is suspended for Sunday’s trip to Dagenham & Redbridge

However no appeal against the red card is possible under FA disciplinary procedures.

A club statement said: “Although Ryan was involved in an incident a couple of minutes earlier when a yellow card was shown by match referee Ross Joyce, it did not appear that it was Ryan who was being cautioned.

“To many it in fact it looked as though it was a Plymouth player who was cautioned, presumably for something he said to the referee.

“Therefore, when Ryan committed another foul shortly after and kicked the ball away – an action the midfielder regrets and admits was done in the spur of the moment – he was expecting just a yellow card – and not a second yellow and subsequent red card. Ryan was genuinely stunned.”

John Still said: “Ryan Hall wasn’t booked on Saturday but he’s suspended. The referee said he did book him but the incident clearly shows he wasn’t booked.

“I’m at a loss on this to be honest.

“The referee, who has the toughest job in the world, has got himself in a mess. I am still mystified about it, but I can’t do anything about it.

“It’s not me moaning about a person, it’s moaning about a situation we’re in when we’ve done nothing wrong.”