Oxford United skipper Rob Dickie insists he wasn’t acting in the incident late on during his side's 1-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road which saw Town striker Kayden Jackson red-carded for a stamp.
The Blues frontman, who was celebrating his 26th birthday, was dismissed in injury time after the linesman advised referee Scott Oldham that Jackson had trodden on Dickie in the wake of a foul.
The Town joint-top scorer protested his innocence with Dickie and the official before making his way off the field and slamming the tunnel in frustration.
"He’s a good player, but he’s cost his side — not today, but I take it he’s got a three-game ban now,” Dickie said.
"You can’t stamp on people. I’m not acting or anything, when you get hit or he stamps on you it hurts. I guess you could take it as a compliment.”
After the game Town manager Paul Lambert said he hadn't seen the incident and would look at it before deciding whether the Blues would appeal.
Central defender Dickie admitted it wasn’t his team’s prettiest performance but felt that the result came at an ideal point in his side’s season, putting them up to ninth, a point behind the Blues.
"We have had games where we’ve played a lot better, but I’d agree, the timing of this result has been really good for us to put us right back in the mix ahead of our run-in,” he reflected.
"We’ll still strive to play the way we want to, but sometimes when you come away from home it’s not always possible against a big club like this.”
He added: "It’s a brilliant result, the perfect away win. It’s one we’ve been waiting for all season, a nasty, ugly 1-0 win away from home.”
Despite Town dominating the first half, Dickie felt his team’s goal was never under siege: "I wouldn’t say we were under the cosh at all.
"The manager said to us at half-time they were 1-0 down in their last game and ended up winning 4-1.
"So we were aware of the threat they held, but we’re a really good side and we’re so proud of ourselves for the way we dug in.”