ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman says the club may consider appealing against Jonathan Smith's proposed four-match ban.

The Reds boss was waiting to look at video evidence of the incident which led to a Smith's dismissal in the 88th minute at Gravesend and Northfleet on Tuesday before he would consider challenging the decision.

Smith was sent off after being adjudged to have deliberately elbowed Paul McCarthy.

But the central defender's team-mates have jumped to his defence.

Striker Paul Mullin said: "I saw what happened and I think it looked worse than what it was.

"Jonathan wouldn't do something like that intentionally, and he said after the game that he didn't mean to catch the lad."

One thing manager Coleman was certain about, however, was having a penalty incorrectly awarded against them.

The referee pointed to the spot when Ged Brannan challenged Andrew Drury inside the penalty area. But Coleman was adament that the midfielder had got his fair share of the ball.

"He kicked the ball 30 yards away in the complete opposite direction," he said.

"It was never a penalty and I'm now at a loss to think why the referee gave it. I can't understand his thinking behind it at all.

"The lad dived over Ged, and he admitted afterwards that he had dived.

"We've had five penalties awarded against us this season and only has been an obvious penalty.

"The others weren't, and one put us out of the cup and the other three have cost us two points apiece.

"They say it's swings and roundabouts but that doesn't seem to be the case for us.

"There's nothing we can do about it though so we've got to move on.

"We've got a big game coming up on Monday and we have to be focused for that."

And there was plenty in Tuesday's draw at Gravesend to encourage the Stanley manager.

"We had a good start and we defended well, albeit a bit too deep in the second half," he said.

"But if we had been a bit more positive maybe we would have taken the bad decisions out of the equation.

"Steve Jagielka hit the post right on half-time and I think that was the turning point in the game.

"If that had gone in it would have been a different story."

Chris Butler was brought off with a first-half injury at Gravesend but Coleman expects the left back to be available for Monday's game after treatment.