JOHN Coleman said his side produced some ‘breathtaking’ football against Shrewsbury but the controversial early sending off of keeper Connor Ripley scuppered Stanley’s hopes.

The Reds boss was left puzzled by some ‘strange’ decisions made by referee, Andy Woolmer, most notably the 16th minute dismissal of his keeper after colliding with Lee Angol on the edge of the area.

But Coleman said going down to 10 men made it an even contest after his side’s superb start.

“It levelled the playing field because the first 15 minutes we were breathtaking,” said Coleman who saw his side’s 10-match unbeaten run halted. “We had five shots in the first seven minutes, they couldn’t get the ball off us.

“All it did was make it an even game, 10 v 11.”

He added: “We looked so assured. We were opening them up at will, making good chances and I would like to think if we kept 11 men on the pitch there would have been only one winner.

“I spoke to him (the referee) briefly at half time. Some really strange things went on there today. All we can do is our best.

“We gave it our all, you can’t fault the lads for their effort. They ran themselves in to the ground.

“It was a pity we went down to the 10 because the 5,000 Salop fans could have witnessed a good display.”

Despite his disappointment, Coleman is hoping his side get the rub of the green when it comes to refereeing decisions in the future.

“If it’s swing and roundabouts then I am sure we will get some decisions our way,” he said. “We have probably had six or seven major decision go against us. Referees don’t do this on purpose they just make mistakes and we have just got to accept that.

“It’s human error, sometimes it will go for you, sometimes it will go against you.”

Of the sending off decision, Coleman said his keeper made a genuine attempt to play the ball.

“I won’t have to look at it again, I saw it at the time,” he said. “It is a genuine attempt to get the ball.

“The linesman has said it is a goal-scoring opportunity.

“There is only one person getting the ball and that is Nick Anderton. And even if the lad does get the ball, it is going to be a difficult shot to score from there.”

Despite seeing Stanley’s impressive unbeaten run ended, Coleman insists it will not knock the confidence of his players.

“We have got to realise we lost the game because of a mistake by someone else and not because of us,” he said.

“Possibly the mistake we have made is giving the ball away in the second half but a lot of the damage was done before that by someone’s error.

“So we’ll have to go on another 10 game unbeaten run.

“There is a reason why what happened and it wasn’t down to our ineptitude or football.

“We are a good side and we showed that with 11 men and with chasing the game with 10 men.”