Coyle: Common sense was lacking in Burnley sending-off

1:30pm Monday 6th October 2008

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By Suzanne Geldard »

FRUSTRATED Burnley manager Owen Coyle felt defender Stephen Jordan's late sending off at Reading could have been avoided.

The left back was penalised for two incidents in the last 15 minutes of a 3-1 defeat and will now miss the Clarets' next game, against new leaders Birmingham City, in a fortnight.

Jordan picked up his first booking for dissent and the second for a tug on right winger Jimmy Kebe in the final of four minutes of stoppage time.

But Coyle felt the dismissal was unnecessary.

"I don't want to be seen as petty, but we do our best to win each and every game, and there's a time in football when common sense can play a part," said the Burnley boss.

"I spoke to the referee very amicably at the end, and he felt it was a caution, and I thought Stephen Jordan was fouled initially in the build-up.

"Having said that, even then there was 10 seconds to play, Reading had a free kick and there was no chance of Stevie going up the other end and scoring a goal.

"Common sense should prevail, but I'm not under the pressure referees have of giving cautions and so forth.

"We tried our utmost to fulfill the respect campaign, and I just think that should have been dealt with in a different manner.

"I think it (the second yellow card) was for a tug back, but I thought Stevie was fouled before that, and I felt there were quite a few (decisions) like that on the afternoon."