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Yeovil Town fans were left fuming after Rhys Murphy was sent off in the Glovers' 2-2 draw against Hartlepool United in what some have branded the worst decision they have ever seen at a football match.

Murphy was shown his marching orders by referee Martin Woods in the 54th minute at Huish Park after what appeared to be an innocuous collision with Myles Anderson.

The decision left the 2,600 Yeovil fans inside Huish Park raging and put the icing on the cake of what can only be described as a thoroughly inept refereeing display on the part of the official.

Video footage subsequently left fans at a loss to explain how Murphy's challenge had warranted a red card.

The dismissal of Yeovil's top scorer arguably cost them two vital points in the National League title race as Hartlepool went on to force a 71st minute equaliser through Gus Mafuta.

Anger at referee Woods following the incident was so much that he and his assistants were escorted from the field of play by stewards after the final whistle, while the vast majority of the Yeovil Town players and manager Darren Sarll refused to shake his hand.

Yeovil's supporters took to social media to make their thoughts on the incident abundantly clear.

Yeovil drop to third in the National League, five points behind leaders Barrow, after Saturday's stalemate, which had seen the Glovers lead twice through Matt Worthington and Charlie Lee before Peter Kiosi and Mafuta dragged Hartlepool level.

Glovers boss Sarll confirmed that Yeovil would be appealing Murphy's red card following the game.

He said: "I’m not sure how that can be perceived as violent conduct.

“The way I saw it at the time is that they were both jostling to get across to the ball and he just trips him back.

“When I look back at it, you can see the reaction of the players and all of the players just walked away.

“If there’s any hint of violence in modern day football, what do they do? They run to the ref, so I think the violent conduct bit is...I just give them [referees] too much airtime and nothing ever happens, it just doesn’t happen.

“I just hope at the end of the year that that doesn’t cost us anything.”

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