ALAN Smith will serve a four-match ban after MK Dons chose not to appeal his second red card of the season.
Smith was adjudged to have recklessly clattered into Barnsley’s Rory Delap in stoppage time during the 3-1 defeat in the FA Cup at stadium:mk, with referee Michael Jones pulling out the red card in a flash to send the Dons man for an early bath.
He told Smith and Dons captain Dean Lewington that the red card was shown because Smith had elbowed Delap in the head - an accusation immediately denied by Delap.
But after failed attempts to get some of the more harsh red cards overturned this season, Robinson admitted defeat and said he’d not be appealing, though claimed Jones had lied in his report to cover his tracks.
Robinson said: “I’ve not appealed Alan Smith’s red card. What’s the point? But he wasn’t happy.
“The referee told a white lie. He told the fourth official that he was send off for an elbow to the head. He told Dean Lewington, Alan Smith and Rory Delap on the pitch that it was for contact with the head. It was a foot below the armpit.
“I went to see the referee afterwards and he said ‘I didn’t say it was the head.’ At least seven people heard him say that to us.
“But in his report, he uses the words ‘reckless’ and ‘out of control’ but it was just a shambolic decision and he’s told a lie. He shouldn’t tell me it was an elbow to defuse the situation. He should tell the truth.
“He guessed, and he got it wrong. He already had his red card out before they got to their feet.
“He had four key decisions to make. Two offside decisions for Dagnall’s goals, a challenge on the edge of the box, and the red card. He got the first three right, and the last one wrong. He got 25 per cent of key decisions wrong. That’s unacceptable for a Premier League referee. He should be getting 90 to 100 per cent right every game. It’s unacceptable.”
With Dons not appealing, Smith will serve a four match ban, starting with this Saturday’s game against Carlisle.
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