Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley explains why he's confident Joe Morrell's red card against Oxford will be overturned for midfielder to face Burton tonight

Danny Cowley has spelt out why Pompey have launched an appeal to have Joe Morrell’s Kassam Stadium red card rescinded.
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At the centre of it is additional footage of the 16th-minute incident from a Go-Pro camera in one of the Oxford nets which shows the tackle on Cameron Brannagan from a previously unseen angle.

The Blues also received sympathetic noises from the EFL’s head of referring Mike Jones, according to Cowley, which also prompted a re-examination of the decision taken by referee Sam Barrott at the time.

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Morrell faces an automatic three-match ban if the Blues’ appeal is turned down.

A Football Association decision is expected today – hours before Pompey face Burton at Fratton Park.

The FA have already acted decisively today with the decision to overturn Bolton captain Ricardo Santos’ dismissal for hand ball during the Trotters’ 1-1 draw with Morecambe on Saturday.

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The defender is now available to face Charlton tonight in League One.

Joe Morrell saw red during Pompey's trip to Oxford on Saturday.Joe Morrell saw red during Pompey's trip to Oxford on Saturday.
Joe Morrell saw red during Pompey's trip to Oxford on Saturday.

And Cowley expects a similar outcome before his side’s game against the Brewers, having made contract with the governing body before yesterday’s deadlne.

Speaking to The News, the Blues boss said: ‘We spent Sunday trying to find the best footage and unfortunately the footage from the side angle is not clear.

‘It is probably the same view the referee had, which was an impeded one.

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‘Ultimately, Louis Thompson and Cameron Brannagan are right in the way of the challenge and I don’t understand how the referee comes to the decision because he can’t see it and that’s clear.

‘We, thankfully, yesterday morning managed to find footage from the Go-Pro in the Oxford United net and that gives us a much clearer indication of the challenge.

‘Like we felt, Joe is five foot five so he’s only got little legs and they don’t get up high anyway.

‘The ball was high so the foot was high, he nicks the ball before Cameron Brannagan can get there and there is no contact.

‘We think we’ve got really good grounds for appeal.

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‘We spoke to Mike Jones, the head of refereeing at this level, and his exact words to me were that it was a very, very harsh sending off.

‘We’ll have to wait and see what the panel says, but we believe we've got grounds to appeal and I anticipate Joe being available (against Burton).’