Ebbsfleet United manager Dennis Kutrieb says referees are taking the joy out of managing in the National League after three yellow cards in eight games

Ebbsfleet boss Dennis Kutrieb says the standard of refereeing is taking away the enjoyment of managing in the National League.

Not for the first time this season, the Fleet were left perplexed by the level of officiating during last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Wealdstone.

Kutrieb was also booked for a third time this season for technical area misconduct which means he now faces the prospect of serving a one-match ban when Ebbsfleet host Chesterfield this Saturday.

“I got a yellow card ridiculously again, I didn’t say anything,” said Kutrieb.

“I’m on three now already, maybe I deserve one of the three. I don’t know if I’m able to appeal against it.

“It’s getting embarrassing. I lose a little bit of the joy of being a manager because you get punished for things where you never ever could get punished.

“When you feel like that’s unfair, on the pitch, off the pitch, everywhere the same, that’s where me as a person starts to struggle - in this job but in outside life as well.

“If I feel that something is unfair or someone is treated unfairly, I would always step in from outside to make sure it is fair. But this is not right. At the end of the day, we have to get on with it.”

Ebbsfleet’s promotion to the National League has seen a welcome improvement in the quality of opposition, the standard of grounds and the club’s exposure.

But the standard of officiating has been woefully lacking.

Assistant referees barely assist the man in the middle, fourth officials display double standards and more than one referee has clearly been out of his depth in Fleet games so far this season - and they’ve only played eight matches.

“That’s maybe why you’re more disappointed because you expected a better league would need to be a better referee,