Striker Alan Lee slammed referee Martin Atkinson for failing to award him a first half penalty and showing him a second yellow card for handball during Saturday's 2-0 home defeat to Southend. Lee feels that the video evidence shows the ref got it wrong in both instances.

Lee said: “The referee was an absolute disgrace. If he apologises to me after seeing a tape of the game my opinion of him will improve, but only slightly.”

Atkinson, who recently booked Lee for dissent at Crystal Palace, gave the Irishman his first caution as the sides lined-up after Southend's first goal. Lee says he was booked for diving and not for dissent as it initially appeared: “I took advantage of the break in play to calmly ask the referee why he had not earlier given us a clear penalty when I had my legs swiped from under me by a defender.

“He said that he should have booked me for diving - and that he was going to do it now!

“And when the ball was floated in from a freekick I was pushed off balance from behind as I challenged with two others. The handball was accidental. The tape clearly shows this."

Lee, who can't lodge an appeal against the sending off, misses Tuesday's game at Preston but will be available again for Saturday's visit to Luton.

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