STAN Ternent turned up the volume in his call for an upheaval in the way referees are controlling games following last night's 1-1 draw at Watford.

The Burnley boss, who has a suspension hanging over his threadbare squad following David May's sending off at Wimbledon on Saturday, was disappointed to see another red card branded at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night.

Although it was Watford's Paolo Vernazza who received his marching orders during the Division One clash, Ternent remained disillusioned with the flurry of suspensions that are set to cripple squad numbers across the Football League.

"If you finish a game with 11 against 11 now you're doing okay," said Ternent. "That seems to be the way of it now because it doesn't take a lot to get booked.

"But the referees are handcuffed, they have their hands tied behind their backs.

"Watford were on the receiving end of some decisions tonight as we were on Saturday, so what goes around comes around.

"But I've said it before and I'll say it again, something's got to change."

As well as Vernazza's dismissal, Burnley also benefited from a dubious handball decision to be awarded a first half penalty, although Robbie Blake fired wide.

With Gareth Farrelly (knee) and May (hamstring) both limping off with injuries, Ternent knows his side can ill afford many more yellow cards.

He added: "Referees start with 100 points, they are under starters' orders and if they don't do exactly what they're told to do to the letter of the law, they have points deducted.

"So the referees don't have any sort of freedom at all in my opinion and that's why it's going to have to change.

"It's not just me but the friends I have who are managers are of the same opinion and something has got to give because we have a responsibility to the fans who pay a lot of money to come and see us so it's very difficult.

"Most teams now are carrying smaller squads in the Football League. I have 15 players, a team and four subs. That's all I've got and the suspensions will play a bigger part than the injuries."