COVENTRY City head coach Frank Lampard felt Luton Town should have gone down to nine men in their heated clash against the Sky Blues.
Both Jay Dasilva and Liam Walsh saw red either side of half time at Kenilworth Road before Isaiah Jones kicked out at Josh Eccles only for referee Oliver Langford to produce a yellow card.
The incident took place just yards away from the assistant referee on the touchline as Luton went on to score a last-minute winner courtesy of Shandon Baptiste’s late strike.
And Lampard felt Jones should have been sent off which would have left Luton down to nine players with four minutes left to play.
Lampard said: “We were the team [on top] then [when Luton went down to 10-men], you can see. It’s not easy to change gear from desperation and defending.
“We didn’t create massive chances, but I think as the game went on and they should have gone down to nine, I think the game was ours, but you can’t legislate for a late goal which leads to their goal.
“It’s a clear kick [by Jones]. You can’t kick someone in the back of the legs in frustration. Josh’s challenge is a yellow because we see it many times in games, but the referee was there, the linesman was there.
“Plymouth, we had the biggest red card you’ll see because it was a leg breaker and a push in the face.
“The first two, I don’t argue about those, but Isaiah Jones puts them to nine.”
The game burst into life on 13 minutes as Millenic Alli looked to latch onto a ball in-behind the Sky Blues only for Dasilva to accidentally clip the defender’s heels with his knee.
However, Dasilva received a straight red card with the referee deeming the defender to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity.
A flashpoint arose on 68 minutes when Jones won a free-kick for Luton on the edge of the Coventry penalty area.
The two sets of players clashed in the penalty area and the referee showed a straight red card to Walsh after the midfielder gently pushed Luis Binks to the ground in the box.
However, the referee only brandished a yellow card to Jones later in the half when he kicked out at Eccles after the Coventry man pulled the wing-back’s shirt close to the touchline.
And Luton won the game in the final minute as a mix-up between Bradley Collins and Liam Kitching presented a chance for substitute Baptiste in the box.
Baptiste fired a low shot towards goal with Binks only able to direct the ball inside his own post in his attempt to clear.
Despite the defeat, Coventry remain inside the play-off places on goal difference with one match left to play.
And Lampard praised his side’s spirit but admits his players need to stop making crucial mistakes.
Lampard added: “There’s a great spirit in the group and it’s why we’ve been able to move up the table and amass a number of points because of the spirit first and quality second
“At the moment we’re not getting that little bit of quality, we’re making mistakes which are crucial, but the spirit is never a question with this group.
“They gave everything. Dug in with ten-men for a long time, I know it levelled out, but the effort they put in from a team that really go direct and get it wide and cross a lot, defend the box.
“When you’re a man down it’s a long afternoon and the lads spirit was brilliant, that’s why it’s so disappointing to lose in the end.”
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