NEIL Young has claimed that refereeing Chester FC matches has become ‘too big’ for some Evo-Stik Northern Premier League officials.

The Blues boss aimed a furious blast at the standard of officiating in the league after being left bewildered by Michael Powell’s sending off at Northwich Victoria on Boxing Day.

Young, whose table-toppers entertain neighbours Nantwich Town on Monday (3pm), said: “All we talk about with the players is discipline, discipline, discipline. But if you look at it now, as every time we play we have a big crowd, it is my personal opinion that the games are too big for some of the referees. The atmosphere is too big for them and they get too embroiled.

“We’ve had three players sent off in our last two games. Now up until three or four weeks ago, we were in the top five or six in the fair play league and we were top of the dissent league. Now no-one can say we’ve become a dirty side all of a sudden.

“Iain Howard should not have been sent off at Marine and Michael Powell should not have been sent off on Monday. At some point the officials have got to look at themselves.

"Unless the officials are actually Football League or ex-Football League they have probably not officiated in front of 3,000 people before."

Chester finished the ill-tempered 1-1 draw with title rivals Northwich with nine men after Wes Baynes was dismissed late on.

Young accepted the full-back’s wild challenge on Lewis Short merited a straight red card. He remains livid, however, about the nature of Powell’s first-half dismissal.

The midfielder raised his hands to Vics right-back John Disney but had seemingly escaped punishment until the linesman on the opposite side of the pitch intervened.

Young said: “If the referee and linesman, who was right on top of the incident, didn’t believe what they had seen was a sending off, why does it take someone 90 yards away to determine what happened? That never happens in football. It was absolutely ridiculous.”

The Blues plan to appeal against Powell’s sending off but will not take the case to the FA until they receive the referee’s written report and video footage of the game from Northwich.

Baynes will definitely serve a three- match ban which will rule him out of the FA Trophy tie at Ebbsfleet United and the league clashes against Hednesford Town and Mickelover Sports.

Captain George Horan and Matty McGinn return from suspension for Monday’s visit of Nantwich but Howard misses out with a one-game ban.

Chester lost 4-1 to the Dabbers at the Weaver Stadium in August and Young is keen to banish the memory of one of the poorest displays of his tenure.

Nantwich boss Jimmy Quinn said: “It’s a great place to go. There will be 3,500 people there but we’ve got players who can cope with playing in front of crowds like that.”

Record signing Jamie Rainford is due to return to the Blues on Tuesday after his successful loan at FC Halifax Town ends.