FA make decision on Salford City attacker's red card after Chesterfield sending-off
Salford City’s Hakeeb Adelakun has won his appeal against his red card after being given his marching orders against Chesterfield.
The former Doncaster Rovers man was sent off on 24 minutes on Tuesday night after an off-the-ball incident involving Jack Sparkes with the score 0-0. Referee Darren Drysdale made the decision after speaking to his assistant. The Spireites took full advantage of the extra man and went on to win 4-0.
After the match, Salford boss Karl Robinson criticised the officiating and felt it changed the game. Giving his version of events, he said: "The lad (Sparkes) has stamped on Haks, on his toe, and Haks has just swiped at his lower legs. You can’t knock the opposition’s player, he went down really well and managed to get the decision that they wanted. I can’t grumble at the way they acted. I can see why he thinks he has actually kicked him and lashed out which would be borderline, for me, a yellow card. But the way it goes against us, it was always going to be a red.”
TV cameras did not pick up the incident but Salford have been able to produce footage which helped their case. The suspension has now been overturned and, rather than being suspended for the next three matches, Adelakun will be available for clashes against Grimsby Town, Doncaster Rovers and Bromley.
An FA spokesperson said: “An independent regulatory commission has upheld a claim of wrongful dismissal in relation to Hakeeb Adelakun and removed his three-match suspension.”