WINGER Ruben Lameiras believes Jay McEveley should have been given his marching orders following a horror tackle in the first half of Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United.
Lameiras controlled a long pass by Ben Turner and his quick feet allowed him to beat McEveley by the touchline but the Blades defender did not pull out his tackle.
Instead he took the 20-year-old clean out with a late lunge and despite cries for a red card from the Sky Blues players, referee Iain Williamson only dished out a yellow.
“I personally think he’s got to be sent off for that,” said Lameiras.
“I think the referee has to offer more protection there. He didn’t go for the ball and he’s lucky I couldn’t run at him in the second-half.
“A tackle is a tackle I just wanted to get back up and get at him again. It was a game of high intensity and I’m gutted we didn’t get the three points really.”
Lameiras was also well placed to see Jacob Murphy’s deflected ball across the goal cross over the line, but again the decision did not go in City’s favour.
“I was behind Jacob’s ‘goal’, it was handball and it crossed the line, it goes without saying that would have helped,” he continued.
“It was 100 per cent over the line, things just didn’t swing for us today and we’re still confident.”
A first defeat in 11 league matches keeps the Sky Blues second in League One and although Lameiras said the team were ‘gutted’ not to come away from Brammall Lane with the win, he is confident they will bounce back at home to Oldham this Saturday.
He added: “We had some good chances and controlled the game for 85 minutes. Adam Armstrong had one in the first-half which he usually puts away and he’s been on fire, so it was just one of those days really.
“There are positives of course. When we go back to Ryton it will be gone, not forgotten but gone, and we will be eager to put it right against Oldham.”
