Omar Bogle's Indefensible Red Card Cost Truro City

John Askey did not bother dressing it up. Omar Bogle’s red card, he said, was “indefensible”.

On a grim afternoon for Truro City, their most experienced forward lost his head in the dying seconds of a match his manager had already labelled the worst performance of the season. The irony? Seconds after Bogle walked, The Tinners found their equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Walton and Hersham.

Bogle, 33, brought in last month to add nous and cutting edge after a career spanning more than 300 Football League games with Wigan Athletic, Crewe Alexandra, Charlton Athletic, Cardiff City and Newport County, instead left his new side with a problem. Deep into stoppage time, he kicked out at Kleyton Junior and the referee reached straight for red.

No debate. No mitigation from his manager.

“You can't defend that. It shouldn't happen,” Askey told BBC Radio Cornwall, his frustration clear.

The veteran striker was only making his fourth appearance for the club, still bedding into a new dressing room, still trying to establish himself as a leader in a lower-division side that needs his experience, not his absence.

The flashpoint summed up the mood. Truro had laboured, never finding rhythm, never imposing themselves in the way Askey demands. By his own assessment, this was as poor as they have been all campaign. The late goal salvaged a point, but not the performance.

Askey’s anger, though, centred on discipline and decision-making. Bogle, grappled by Kleyton Junior, chose retaliation rather than resistance.

“We understand that people get frustrated and when somebody's grabbing hold of you the only way to respond to things like that is by keep playing, get hold of the ball, put ball in the back of the net,” Askey said. “You can't retaliate, so really disappointing and obviously we'll have to deal with that.”

Truro did exactly what their manager demanded of Bogle after he had gone: they kept playing, they found the ball, and they put it in the net. The pressure finally told, but with ten men and without the striker signed to make the difference.

Now comes the cost. A suspension for a key forward. A dent in trust so early in his Truro career. And a manager who has made it abundantly clear where the line is drawn.