‘No argument’ – Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor reacts to first career red card for former Sunderland AFC winger Luke Molyneux

The 22-year-old lasted just 10-minutes after coming on as a substitute before he was shown a straight red card for a high foot on Weymouth’s Cameron Murray.

He will now miss the next three National League games for Pools through suspension.

And for the sixth time in seven games for Hartlepool, the match failed to finish with all 22 players on the field as their four game winning run came to an end at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

Pools fans had few complaints about Molyneux’s dismissal and these views were echoed by manager Dave Challinor following the game.

“The red card is quite a simple one where if there’s contact with the lad’s head and he’s not ducking down then it has to be a red card,” he told The Mail.

“We were on the other end of those decisions earlier against Stockport and Notts County so for me there is no argument about that.

"I don’t know how high Mols’ boot is but for me he should go in with his head.

"If he goes with his head then there’s no free-kick given or if their player goes in with his foot then okay it might hurt and you might get a kick in the head but we could end up playing against 10 men.”

Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Hartlepool boss felt his side responded well.

"When we went down to 10-men, I couldn’t fault us because the players showed a real intent to put them under pressure and it’s difficult because the players want to try and win the game in an aesthetically pleasing way and play through teams.

"If we showed the intent we showed with 10 men when we had 11 men on the pitch and were a bit more direct when they were banked in particularly in the first half then it may have been that we got some opportunities and the result could have been the difference.

"They got their little bit of luck, their goalkeeper made some good saves and kept a clean sheet which are key ingredients of winning a football match.”

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