Jon McCarthy has explained the reasons for Chester FC not appealing Gareth Roberts' controversial red card in the 3-0 defeat at Barnet on Saturday.
Ex-Wales international Roberts has started an automatic three match ban after being shown a straight red card in the 52nd minute for an alleged elbow on Bees winger Luisma.
Roberts’ arm was raised but the Spaniard looked to have made the most of the contact.
Blues boss Steve Burr said after the game referee Dean Treleaven had initially told Roberts he was going book him but the official then dismissed the 36-year-old fullback after consulting assistant Anthony Serrano.
Burr and first team coach Jon McCarthy had hoped to appeal the red card but the match video was not sufficient to do so.
McCarthy said: “If you’d have seen the quality of the DVD that we got from Barnet, they might be top of the league but they need to spend some money on the DVD.
“It was a shambles because it’s the narrowest picture and from the side where the camera is there’s no way you could tell what happened so there’s no way we could appeal
“If you read the referee’s report and the linesman’s report then I’m surprised he hasn’t gone down for 10 years for it with the way they are talking about violent conduct and saying he brought his arm forward and swung it back.”
Roberts’ ban started with the FA Trophy defeat to AFC Telford United on Monday and he will be available again for the trip to Altrincham on New Years’ Day.
Meanwhile, winger Peter Winn faces another spell on the sidelines after he had to be replaced having come on as a substitute against Telford.
Winn, 26, has had an awful run of injuries since his arrival from Macclesfield Town in the summer.
He damaged his ankle shortly after signing that interrupted his pre-season and he has been in and out of the side.
Just as Winn looked to getting back to his best, the ex-Scunthorpe midfielder injured his knee in the FA Cup win at Southend United.
He missed the next eight games but had been on the bench for the last three matches, coming on for Ibou Touray with 17 minutes to go on Monday.
Winn then damaged his calf in the eighth minute of extra time and limped off to be replaced with Jamie Menagh, and McCarthy hopes Winn will not be out for too long.
“We’re disappointed because we’ve put him on and then we’ve had to bring him off,” he said.
“He’s honest and he was keen and he wanted to be back and out there playing and it’s probably forced him back a little bit quick.
“It’s his calf and it can happen can’t it when you overcompensate. He’s devastated because he’s never quite been able to get going this season.
“He’s trying to get back and that’s what happens and maybe that’s part of having a small squad.”
