Normally mild-mannered Dover boss Chris Kinnear was fuming after seeing Jack Parkinson sent off in the goalless Vanarama National League clash with Braintree Town at Crabble on Tuesday.

But it wasn’t the referee who Kinnear saw red over in his uncharacteristic outburst - it was Parkinson.

The Whites midfielder Parkinson was giving his marching orders eight minutes from time after aiming a punch at Mark Philips.

There were no excuses for Parkinson’s actions as far as Kinnear was concerned.

He said: “He threw a punch and deserved to go for it and he will be fined for it.

“It was stupid. I mean he knows it was stupid and he apologised which is fair enough but it’s no good apologising after and saying sorry. He shouldn’t have done it.”

It was Parkinson’s fourth consecutive start since joining Whites from Maidstone and his dismissal has done him no favours.

Kinnear said: “He wanted to get in the side and had been knocking at my door saying ‘get me in, get me in’.

"He does that and now he has done this and is out for three games.

“He’s worked hard since he got in the side and I’ve got no problem with his commitment, but use your commitment in tackles, not blinking punching people - why would you? I really can’t do that.”

But it wasn’t only Parkinson’s red card which left Kinnear less than pleased.

He said: “It was probably the worst we’ve played since I came back, especially in the first half - it wasn’t good at all."