Gillingham boss Neil Harris explains his red card during 3-1 Portsmouth defeat - but maintains ref Darren Drysdale made two costly errors

He also admitted that he apologised to his team for his actions – while maintaining that referee Darren Drysdale made two key errors in the build-up to the Blues’ crucial second goal.

The Gills manager was dismissed by the match official on the stroke of half-time and immediately after Ronan Curtis had handed the hosts a 2-1 lead.

Afterwards, Harris confessed he had issues with an offside decision that went against his side in the build-up to Pompey’s goal two minutes into first-half injury-time.

He also took umbrage at the fact that Curtis’ second notch of the game came after the one minute of stoppag- time that was indicated by the fourth official had passed.

Speaking to Kentonline at the final whistle, the former Millwall manager said: ‘I have to accept the punishment and I apologise to my group, I need to lead by example, but all I was trying to do was get the referee’s attention by getting him over to explain to me why he played 92 seconds rather than 60 seconds and why, in the build-up, an offside decision wasn’t given to us.

‘I went into see the referee (after the game), it was a very calm conversation. I have asked for an explanation, he has given a very PR answer, but he has got it wrong.

‘I said to him, we have worked together for a long tine, did he need to show me a red card when he could have just told me why something has happened? I can’t change that now.

‘Did I overstep them mark, maybe?

‘Did the referee get it wrong? Definitely

‘But we can’t concede goals like that, we have to defend so much better and ultimately we have lost the game because we have defended really poorly.’

Clark Robertson added a third goal from Pompey nine minutes after the restart as Danny Cowley’s side ran out 3-1 winners.

The result sees the Blues remain in ninth position in the League One table.

However, after Fleetwood and AFC Wimbledon drew 1-1, Gillingham now find themselves in the relegation zone ahead of their final game of the season against Rotherham.