McPhee slams card-happy referees

The Aggborough men have had a total of three players sent off for dangerous play in three of the four games played, all automatic three-match bans.

McPhee is one of that trio after a harsh red for a late challenge in the goalless FA Cup tie at home to Fleetwood last Saturday, which saw him miss the replay on Tuesday night.

The 26-year-old fumed again from the sidelines as Harriers tumbled out 3-1, with Lee Baker receiving his marching orders in Lancashire for another rash tackle.

Add to that Robbie Matthews' sending off for a stamp on goalkeeper Mark Tyler against Luton on October 10 - a game where Rossi Jarvis was also dismissed for hacking down McPhee - and the skipper is starting to think an undeserved reputation could be growing.

He said: "We have got a right to feel hard done to, that is three red cards for us and all of them you could argue against. It has been a contentious period that is hurting us as a small squad and, if it's a rub of the green thing, then we must be in for some luck.

"It just makes me shudder to think that my tackle in the game last Saturday has been put in the same bracket as the one on me that nearly broke my leg the week before. I have never made a dangerous tackle in my life - ask anyone who knows me.

"The whole process with referee's and appeals needs to be tweaked, there's needs to be easier processes to help the players involved. Why can't a referee look at the decision afterwards and say 'fair enough, I got that wrong, I will change it to a yellow card instead.'

"Would that really be so hard to enforce?"