Dartford boss Alan Dowson felt it was an “awful decision” to give summer signing Paul Rooney a red card in Saturday’s pre-season opener.
The Darts finished the game at home to Charlton with 10 men after former Havant midfielder Rooney was dismissed by referee George Warren for swinging a punch at Conor McGrandles.
Dowson felt the referee should have given him the option to substitute Rooney, although it is believed the suspension will only apply to a future pre-season match rather than any league fixture at the start of the National League South campaign. “I thought it was an awful decision looking at the highlights,” said Dowson. “He doesn’t hit him. “Apparently it doesn’t matter as you only miss a game in pre-season. “I thought it was the wrong decision and the referee should have come to me and said take him off.
I thought it was handbags at worst.” There were also first-half bookings for Dartford duo Tyrell Miller-Rodney and Joash Nembhard - two more of Dowson’s summer signings. “The two tackles that we got bookings for, back in my day they were great tackles,” reflected Dowson, “They did one on us and that was a top tackle as well.