Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough eyes appeal over 'harsh' red card as he admits refereeing decisions left him 'puzzled'

Davis Keillor-Dunn’s quickfire brace had put the visitors in control inside half-an-hour, before Mickey Demetriou pulled one back for Crewe before half-time.

However, after debutant Calum MacDonald was sent off for a foul on Chris Long on 58 minutes, the hosts were level within two minutes through Rio Adebisi.

Clough refused to rule out an appeal over MacDonald’s “harsh” dismissal, saying he was “puzzled” by some of the decisions by referee Ben Atkinson in Cheshire.

Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham after the match: “I thought it was harsh, he’s not gone in aggressively, he’s just looking at the ball. They’re both high. I think the lad maybe gets the slightest little touch on it, but it’s a yellow card.

“Some of the things we’ve seen, I think the officials are confused by what they’re being told, so we were puzzled by a few things today.

“We’ll have a look and see about an appeal, let’s see what he’s sent him off for.

“He came over and booked Andy [Garner, first-team coach] for something, he couldn’t wait to come over. yet the fourth offical told him several times throughout the game their number four was gesturing for a yellow card, which is a yellow card for dissent, but he chose not to do it. So he takes his advice on that one, but ignores him on another one. Not acceptable.”