Ashford United manager Craig Stone defends Sam Hasler following his red card at VCD but says 3-1 defeat was deserved

Ashford manager Craig Stone says Sam Hasler’s red card against VCD was “never a sending-off in a million years”.

Hasler was dismissed for a strong, but clean, challenge early in the second half of Saturday’s Isthmian South East away game.

Ashford lost the match, which was goalless at the time, 3-1, and while the Stone felt his side got what they deserved in terms of the scoreline, the art of tackling mustn’t go out of football.

The Nuts & Bolts, who host Jersey Bulls in a 12.45pm kick-off at Homelands this Saturday, have appealed the red card.

“In my eyes it’s never been a sending-off in a million years,” said Stone.

“He’s fully got the ball. Yes, he has gone in fairly strong but you ask your players to do that and there’s no danger in what he’s done, he’s not left the floor, he’s not got in two-footed, he’s just gone in with a strong tackle.

“I get why the ref’s given it, he’s behind it, and maybe he thinks it’s a bit strong but anyone in the game would see it’s not a red card.

“If anything, at a push, you might be able to say it’s a booking because it’s a strong tackle but are we saying now that players can’t make strong tackles?

“I’ve made plenty of tackles in my life like that and I always refer back to the one that Andrew Crofts did on me away at Wrexham (while playing for Ebbsfleet in the FA Trophy quarter-finals in 2009).

“It was one hell of a tackle, I came out of it really bad in terms of a broken leg but what a tackle.

“It was just a really strong tackle and if we’re in a position where we can’t make a tackle that might be a slide tackle, it’s a shame.

“The lad’s caught because he’s turned blind, he’s not seen Has coming and Has has put in a tackle.”

Barry Fuller’s 80th-minute header looked set to rescue a