AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson furious with referee over key decisions in heavy defeat at Mansfield Town

Dons had Welsh international Chris Gunter sent off for a confrontation with Stephen Quinn, who had kicked the ball at him, and clearly grabbed him round the throat with the score at 2-2.

“It was obviously a disappointing result,” said Jackson.

“We started the game really well, scored two good goals and looked really dangerous in that period.

“But Mansfield worked their way back into the game, they are a good side, and clawed us back at 2-2.

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“My gut instinct was it wasn't a penalty at the time. I have looked at it and it's still inconclusive, so I am disappointed the referee gave it.

“Then the sending-off changes the game. If we'd gone in at 2-2 with XI perhaps would could have come out and had a go again as we did at the start. But we had to change what we wanted to do with going down to 10 so it was a key moment in the game.”

He continued: “On the sending-off I don't like a world where my player can be on the ground and have the ball kicked in his face, get up, react with a little shove, their man goes down like he's been shot and my man gets sent off.

“He is now going to miss three games and it's cost us tonight.

“I get that's football and you can't react like that, but it doesn't sit well with me that you can kick a ball at a man when he's down on the ground and nothing happens to you but my man gets sent off for an innocuous reaction. I guess that's football.”