Ross hopes Power’s latest red card will be overturned

Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by PA

Sunderland manager Jack Ross insisted he would appeal Max Power’s third red card of the season after his ‘outstanding’ ten men came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Walsall.

Lynden Gooch’s last-minute strike rescued a point for the Black Cats after the American had earlier crossed for Aiden McGeady to fire Sunderland back into the game.

Walsall led through two early second-half strikes, Josh Gordon netting his first league goal with a cool near-post finish before Josh Ginnelly doubled the lead with a rocket into the top corner.

But it was Power’s 23rd-minute dismissal for a tackle on Walsall’s Liam Kinsella that raised the ire of Ross, who could be without the midfielder for five games.

Ross said: “My gut reaction at the time was that it wasn’t even a yellow card. I’ve watched it back and I still think it’s not even a yellow card. If it isn’t overturned, I would be amazed.

“Without a shadow of doubt we will appeal. If I had no TV replays I would have appealed it. But I’ve watched it back and it wasn’t even close. It’s nothing.

“We know the ramifications if it doesn’t get overturned and that has a huge bearing on our season. Let’s not take this as related to his previous red cards – this is in isolation and it’s the wrong decision.

“But our reaction to going two goals down was outstanding – not many teams will play that way with 10 men (and) two goals down.

“I thought they were absolutely brilliant and even if Lynden hadn’t scored in the last minute I would be saying exactly the same thing.”

Walsall boss Dean Keates sympathised over Power’s dismissal and was also angry at the officials for disallowing an Andy Cook header for offside with the score 0-0.

Keates said: “At the time I didn’t think it was a red card – two honest players going in for the ball and he’s not high. Seeing it back, if it was one of my players, I would appeal.

“We will hold ourselves accountable for being 2-0 up but we scored three perfectly good goals today. Cooky is a yard onside.

“But we’re massively disappointed given the situation we were in, 2-0 up against 10 men. We didn’t manage the game well enough.

“Decision-making has cost us. Decision-making football is massive – the best players make the best decisions, the right decisions.

“We showed we are a little bit naive, that’s probably where a lack of experience runs through the squad and it’s probably cost us at the end. We need to be better in those areas.

“It’s frustrating, it’s a difficult one to take. For long periods we played well but we should have been more clinical.”