ANGRY David Eyres pointed the finger at Gillingham after his controversial red card at Turf Moor, writes TONY DEWHURST.

Captain Eyres was dismissed in the 35th minute of Saturday's bruising 0-0 draw for a second bookable challenge on Simon Ratcliffe.

But the decision left Eyres and his Burnley team-mates furious.

Eyres said: "I went to block tackle the lad and he kicked the bottom of my foot. Then he went down screaming in agony.

"Then I saw the linesman flagging and calling the referee over.

"I could lip-read him saying it was a caution and I knew that was it.

"But I can promise everyone that there was nothing malicious on my part. I am just not that sort of footballer.

"I think Gillingham's bench played a part in the sending-off. There was a bit of abuse from the coaching staff and the whole bench stood up and started gesticulating.

"In fact every time a Gillingham player went down it looked like they were trying to get somebody sent off. I said that to one of their lads after the game."

Player-manager Chris Waddle has promised to defend Eyres. Waddle will send the referee a video of the incident to try to get Mr Laws' decision overturned. Waddle said: "The lad went down but did you see him needing a stretcher or see him in the treatment room afterwards?

"I saw the referee after the game and he said if I send the video in and he sees it differently he will try and get the decision changed.

"David is quite a genuine guy I believe and he was very upset about the whole thing."

It was only Eyres' second red card since joining the Clarets from Blackpool in July 1993. His last dismissal was a First Division game against Stoke City at the Victoria Ground in December 1994.

Eyres added: "The referee must have some doubt about the decision if he is prepared to look at the video again.

"I couldn't argue with the first booking. But I genuinely went for the ball and I thought the referee could have been a little bit more lenient because it was so early in the game.

"I could stomach it a bit more if I'd got sent off for swearing or something and it was my own fault.

"But, basically, I was sent off for two challenges. Decisions like this can ruin a season for a player.

"Even if the decision is reversed it will still not alter the fact that I was sent off in the first half and that left us with 10 men for the remainder of the game. "The gaffer and Glenn Roeder gave me a big lift at half-time. They both told me the decision was incredibly harsh and they told me to keep my head up.

"I thought the lads did magnificently considering they were down to 10 men. They could even have sneaked a win."

Waddle made his Turf Moor League debut as a 69th minute substitute for striker Paul Barnes.

But the player-manager was furious after he picked up a yellow card 10 minutes from time.

He added: "I thought my booking was a pretty unbelievable decision.

"I didn't even touch the guy. Even their players came up to me and said I never touched the guy.

"I know that and I was very surprised when the referee booked me."

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