Booking Oster was the 1st mistake

[ravenrover]

watching on t'internet the refs biggest mistake was booking Oster for the trip after the 10-15 mins. From then on he, the ref, knew he had to be careful or else both teams would not have had 11 players left on the pitch, and not because of injury. He failed to book their left back for 2 deliberate trips for which he gave free kicks one on Mason and he other on Copps?, they were both equal to Osters trip. Quite correctly he booked Spurr and Naylor for their clumsy challenges.
It would appear to have been a deliberate ploy from Brighton after the break to \"rough\" the Rovers up culminating in the assault on Sharp by Dunk, the ball was on Sharps right foot when Dunk launched himself at his left leg. It was a straight red and the ref bottled it. JMHO

[RobTheRover]

100% correct

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bang on spadger. I said to our kid after Oster was booked that if the ref applied that standard, the game would end up 8 a side.

I think he realised and then became progressively more lenient.

On a wider note, it is utterly ridiculous that the offences by Oster, Naylor, Lua Lua, Spurr and Dunk received EXACTLY the same penalty.

I've long felt that there was a flexibility lacking in football's on-field punishments and days like this make you think about it again. A malicious/stupidly reckless (delete according to taste) receiving the same punishment as a daft trip or a borderline dive is barmy.

Tell you what I'd do. If a player commits a bad foul, instead of booking them, I'd allow the other team a surgical assault on that player to inhibit his performance by the same amount that he inhibited your player. Sharia Law togger. You know it makes sense.

[Dagenham Rover]

The ref was Eddie Ilderton  enough said

[VikingJames]

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He booked Oster for a silly clumsy trip, then 2 minutes later Bridcutt goes diving into the back of Mason at the other end and no booking!!!

The mind boggles. I don't mind referees giving decisions against them as long as they are consistent. There was absolutely no consistency today!

[RedJ]

The officials were awful today. A number of times, the ball would go out in front of the linesman on the East, and he, while looking at the ball, didn't give it when you could see it from the south!