Albion Rovers gaffer's ref fury after "ridiculous" red card call turns Dumbarton game

Albion Rovers boss Brian Reid branded the decision to show Kyle Fleming an early red card in their defeat to Dumbarton "ridiculous".

Referee Steven Kirkland brandished a straight red for the Rovers man after what Reid claimed was a '50/50' challenge with Sons midfielder Findlay Gray in the 21st minute.

Rovers were leading 1-0 thanks to Lewis Kidd's opener four minutes earlier and the game-changing decision infuriated Reid, who watched his side concede an equaliser to a Stuart Carswell penalty moments later before Ryan Wallace netted a winner for Sons two minutes from time.

The gutted Cliftonhill gaffer said: "Sometimes you don't get what you deserve in football because we could have been a couple of goals ahead before the red card.

"For me, it's a ridiculous decision. It's never a red card in your life.

"It's just two players coming together. My player is just looking at the ball, they both kick each other's foot. It's a 50/50, nothing more.

"Even a yellow card would have been harsh because there's no malice or intent.

"A straight red for that is just unbelievable.

"The whole game turns on that.

"It gives them a lift and then they get a penalty a couple of minutes later.

"I've not seen it back yet, but it looked soft. I don't think there's much in it.

"All of a sudden, from us being in a position where we should be 2-0 up, we are 1-1 and a man short.

"Even then, you wouldn't have known we were the team with 10 men. I thought we were the better team and our goalkeeper has had hardly anything to do.

"Then we get the old sucker punch late on.

"A cross into the box deceives everyone and their boy runs across the goalkeeper and it goes into the far corner.

"It's a sore one to take but the positives are we are playing well.

"I