Will Hartlepool United appeal Nicky Deverdics' red card at Dover?

But ref, it was like this: Nicky Deverdics talks to referee Richard Hulme just as the official gets the red card ready. Picture by GARETH WILLIAMS/ AHPIX

Referee Richard Hulme dismissed the left-back for an elbow on Athletic defender Connor Essam just over a minute from time of the 4-0 thumping at the Crabble Ground.

The two formerDover team-mates collided around 30 yards from the home goal in a challenge for the ball.

It looked a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other but when Deverdics got to his feet after the collision, Mr Hulme produced a red card.

Pools fans in the nearby away end were furious while home supporters applauded their former star off the field.

"I thought it was going to be a free-kick to us," said Harrison.

"I've only seen it in real time from 65 yards, but I don't think it's a sending off.

"It looked like Devs had got his body between the man and the ball and their lad has come through him.

"That was my assessment of it.

"At no point did I think a): it was going to be anything but a free-kick to us and b). there was going to be a red card coming out of it."

The cameras filming Saturday's National League match were on the side of the field where the incident happened so hopefully they will shed light on it.

Pools can ill afford to lose Deverdics for three matches given the 30-year-old is one of the players performing at the moment.

The side lost for the fourth time in five matches yesterday to slip to 14th place in the table and are now seven points off the play-offs.

Mitch Pinnock and Ryan Bird both scored a brace each for the Lilywhites as Pools crumbled again, despite domination of possession.

Fans sang "you're not fit to wear the shirt" late on at the Crabble and a number reacted angrily at full-time when skipper Carl Magnay and vice-captain Scott Loach went to speak to them.