Stones miffed by sending-off

Maidstone were set to appeal debutant striker Timmy Abraham’s red card at Barnet.

The on-loan Boreham Wood forward was dismissed for what referee Aji Ajibola deemed dangerous play during the second half of United’s 4-0 FA Trophy third-round defeat on Saturday.

Abraham caught Bees defender and former Stones man Reece Hall-Johnson in the face as he went to attack a cross.

Hall-Johnson had bravely gone in with his head low to clear. Stones boss Elokobi said nobody in the ground thought Abraham deserved to be sent off.

“Timmy’s a striker and when the ball comes in like that, he has to try and engage with it,” said Elokobi, whose side were 3-0 down at the time.

“That’s what I thought I saw. The player’s head was low but again he didn’t do that deliberately.

“It’s all about the interpretation of the referee. We thought yellow card at worst and he’s brandished a red card. “Everyone’s confused around the stadium, including their bench, my bench, and the players on the pitch.

“Nobody thought it was a red card.

“I have to speak with the referee and see his point on it and as a club we will be appealing.” Abraham, who’s joined the Stones on a two-month loan deal, looked bright up front before his 53rd-minute dismissal.

He faces a three-match ban if the appeal is unsuccessful. “I’ve got a devastated player in the changing room and rightly so,” said Elokobi.

“He’s a young man that’s come in to get games and it’s important we go through that appeal phase but, whatever the outcome of it, we take it as a football club.”