Aggrieved York City boss Terry Dolan admitted he was seeing red after Saturday's controversial dismissal of midfielder Kevin Hulme.

Two second-half yellow cards brought about Hulme's third sending-off of his City career and means the combative midfielder will be suspended for one match - the Boxing Day game at his former club, Macclesfield Town.

Reading manager Alan Pardew added to the furore by claiming Hulme had been "going over the top of the ball all game".

Pardew added: "He has got a history and we highlighted him before the game as a dangerous player.

"I don't think there is any room in football for them sort of players."

Dolan admitted he had few complaints for Hulme's first booking for a late tackle on Reading's Ricky Newman.

But the City chief was quick to spring to the defence of the former Halifax skipper and claimed the second yellow card, brandished after a challenge on Reading centre-half Adi Viveash, was unjustified.

"Until the sending-off the only team that was going to win it was us," lamented Dolan.

"I thought it was very harsh.

"The booking earlier on in the second-half was justified but the second one I just couldn't believe it.

"Kevin has blocked their player. I want to have another good luck at it on the video but I was very, very disappointed he was sent-off."

City defender Darren Edmondson was also quick to defend Hulme and blamed the Reading players for forcing referee Peter Walton's hand.

"Kevin stretched his leg out and, from what Kevin said, as the lad followed through he has got the ball but he has just kicked the bottom of his foot," explained Edmondson.

"I think their lads rushing around Kevin has got him sent-off.

Pardew, meanwhile, admitted his side had under-performed but was still confident of beating City in the replay at the Madjeski Stadium: "We were hugely disappointing," he said.

"The players know that and I don't need to tell them they were poor.

"York have played well and they are a committed side.

"But I don't think we will play as bad as that so they will have to raise their game another level if they are going to turn us over at our place."

* Technical problems beyond our control prevented the York City match report appearing on our site over the weekend.