Jabo Ibehre: Carlisle Boss Keith Curle Says First-minute Red Card Was ‘poor Decision’

Carlisle United manager Keith Curle says the red card issued to forward Jabo Ibehre after 34 seconds against Accrington was a “poor decision”.

The 33-year-old was sent off for a high challenge on Stanley defender Matty Pearson in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw.

The club will appeal against the dismissal – the third-fastest sending-off from kick-off in league history.

“You have to say that you’re hoping [the decision] was an error,” Curle told BBC Radio Cumbria.

“It’s a football pitch – people do make errors on the football pitch. If we had 10 outfield players on the pitch then it could have been a different game.”

Curle criticised the Accrington players for surrounding referee Jeremy Simpson following the incident and Pearson’s reaction.

“It was disappointing to see seven or eight Accrington Stanley players charging in and around the referee. Then the lad got up – he had to stay down out of embarrassment,” Curle said.

“Then he had to get up and the worst thing he came up with was a twisted sock. It did look bad right at the top: you couldn’t see the club emblem or anything.”

BBC SPORTS