Manager Mark Stimson made an outspoken attack on referee Mick Thorpe after Gillingham's 4-2 defeat to Brighton, lambasting his "poor game".The Kent club were hit by the 21st-minute sending-off of Garry Richards for a straight red card and they had to finish with nine men following the late dismissal of Sean Clohessy for two bookable offences.

The Gills led 1-0 thanks to Andrew Crofts' superb strike when Richards was dismissed for a late challenge on David Martot - and it changed the game as the Seagulls levelled within a minute thanks to Nicky Forster's penalty.

Adam El-Abd and Tommy Elphick netted just before half-time to put the Seagulls clear and Jake Robinson made it 4-1 before Crofts' second narrowed the deficit. But Clohessy was then sent off for a second yellow card to kill off any lingering hopes of a comeback.

Stimson said: "The man in the middle had a poor game. We will look at the situation and make a judgment. We just got beat by someone who made some wrong decisions.

"I was disappointed with Richards' sending off because it didn't warrant a red card. It is massively frustrating because we deserve something from the game. We showed great spirit and desire and commitment was there in abundance."

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