Football League to consider card error

Mansfield midfielder Stephen Dawson and referee Kevin Wright are both likely to be suspended after the player incurred two bookings against MK Dons without being dismissed.

Dawson was booked for a foul and dissent on Tuesday night, but Wright did not issue a red card and the 20-year-old was substituted a minute later – the Stags finishing the game with 11 men and a 2-1 victory at Field Mill.

A Football League spokesman said: “The league is currently awaiting the match video. If it is felt the referee failed to apply the laws of the game correctly, the matter will be referred to the Football Association.”

An almost identical incident occurred in August 2004, when ref Andy D’Urso booked Blackburn’s Barry Ferguson twice without issuing the Scot his marching orders.

In that case, Ferguson was later handed a one-match ban, while D’Urso was banned from refereeing for two weeks.

A source at the FA said the punishments would likely be the same for both parties in this case if the matter is referred to them by the league.