Football is back
It took a whole 45 minutes of the first weekend of the 2022/23 campaign, but we may have already seen the most bizarre red card of the season, thanks to Lee Tomlin of Doncaster Rovers.
Tomlin was featuring in his side's League Two Yorkshire derby against Bradford City on Saturday afternoon when the incident occurred three minutes into first-half stoppage time.
Bradford had been awarded a free-kick but, while waiting to take it, Tomlin came and rolled the ball away. This earned him a yellow card from the referee, who quickly intervened.
One would presume that would have been enough of a warning for the 33-year-old, but no.
Lo and behold - just
seconds later - the former Peterborough United man prodded the ball away again.
Incensed with what they were seeing the home crowd jeered loudly while the Bradford players went to confront the midfielder. As the referee walked over and players from the home side came running towards him, one accidentally clattered into Tomlin who theatrically threw himself to the floor.
Frustrated referee dismisses Lee Tomlin
The midfielder rolled around the floor in a performance that couldn't have been anything further from earning an award at the Oscars.
The referee didn't seem too impressed though, whipping out a second yellow and subsequent red seconds later.
https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1553636788299857920
Despite the one-man advantage, Mark Hughes' side could not find the breakthrough and shared stalemate with a team relegated from League One last season. Btadford had Kian Harratt red-carded eight minutes into stoppage time, at the end of the match.
Bradford will be looking for a much better campaign this time round after they finished in a disappointing 14th last time out and are considered as one of the favourites to be in contention for promotion.
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