Dean Smith accuses Derby’s players of getting Sergi Canos sent off

Posted Sunday, February 04, 2018 by PA

Brentford head coach Dean Smith accused Derby’s players of helping to get Sergi Canos sent off in the 3-0 defeat at Pride Park.

The midfielder was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Marcus Olsson in the 21st minute when the game was still goalless and Smith reckons Derby’s reaction influenced referee Peter Bankes.

It certainly changed the contest as Derby took advantage by scoring twice in the space of five minutes.

Tom Huddlestone finally scored his first Derby goal in his 125th game when Daniel Bentley could only parry a Cameron Jerome header in the 30th minute and then supplied the pass for the second in the 34th.

His ball was chested down by Tom Lawrence and, although Bentley saved his effort, Cameron Jerome was on hand to score his first goal since moving from Norwich.

Brentford had chances but Scott Carson saved well from Henrik Dalsgaard and Chris Mepham before Andreas Bjelland’s trip on Sam Winnall gave Matej Vydra his 17th goal of the season from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

Smith is planning to appeal the red card and said: “Unfortunately the scoreline is reflective of the referee’s decision which, for me, was very harsh.

“I think the reason he is sent off was because of the reaction of the Derby players. They run around the referee, if you watch it back four or five go straight round him which makes his mind up.

“Sergi gets there before the lad Olsson and wins the ball cleanly, maybe the follow-through catches him but the lad jumps, gets out of the way.

“The referee said it was excessive force but I don’t know how you can make a tackle on that pitch when it’s as greasy as that without excessive force. There’s certainly nothing malicious in that tackle.”

Derby manager Gary Rowett countered: “If I’m being honest it didn’t look like a blatant sending off, it looked like a dangerous tackle although I’d have to see a really clear view to see whether I thought it was particularly dangerous.

“My players were surrounding the referee? I think that’s a cop-out, you can’t blame players for surrounding the referee.

“You can blame a player for going in recklessly, you can blame a referee if you don’t think it’s the right decision but to suggest our players have influenced the referee is an excuse in my opinion.

“It was an important game, I knew that if we hadn’t won the game maybe everybody gets a little bit edgy but the reality is we are sat here having lost only two games in 23.

“We’re unbeaten in 11 games so we’ve been really consistent and hardly conceded a goal in that period.”