Harriers refuse to be drawn on David Artell

Artell netted a vital goal to open the scoring against his side just hours after having a three-match ban overturned.

Burr's side lost the first leg of the Blue Square Premier play-off semi-final at the Racecourse Ground 2-1 last night.

But confusion reigned over the centre-back's participation in the match after he was cleared to play yesterday lunchtime by the Welsh FA.

It came despite a straight red card in the Dragons' final match of the regular season, following Artell's sending off for a tackle in Saturday's defeat at Mansfield.

A statement from the Football Association of Wales, who rule on Wrexham suspensions despite the club playing in English competitions, said they upheld a claim for wrongful dismissal.

But a Wrexham club statement said the red card "still stands on the player's record" and added that the FAW had simply decided to quash the three-match suspension.

Burr said: "They made the decision that he was allowed to play. It's very unusual that you get something like that overturned.

"We have never had it with any of our lads, so it was unusual, but they have made the decision and we have got to deal with it.

"The Welsh FA can make any decisions they want. They have made a decision and the lad has played, so we can't do anything about it."

Artell was red-carded in the final minute on Saturday for a tackle on Mansfield's Colin Daniel.

An FAW statement before last night's game said: "We carefully considered the written and DVD evidence submitted.

"The panel decided that the claim (for wrongful dismissal) be successful and that the standard three-match suspension for the offence be withdrawn."

But the Wrexham statement said: "The club's appeal was based on our claim that a three-match ban might be too severe in this particular case.

"On the day, the referee gave an honest decision and the red card still stands on the player's record.

"Our appeal was purely that a three-game suspension might be too much for this particular offence."

After the match, Wrexham player-manager Andy Morrell said: "It wasn't a sending off.

"That's why we appealed it and that's why we got off it."

The sides will meet in the second leg at Aggborough on Sunda, kicking off at 1.30pm.