Ipswich manager Jim Magilton is not sure yet whether they will appeal to the Football Association after seeing Liam Trotter sent-off in the FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth.

Trotter was shown a straight red card by Mark Halsey following a late sliding challenge on Pedro Mendes after 24 minutes at Portman Road.

The 19-year-old Academy graduate - whose smiling face was pictured across front of the matchday programme - went in on Mendes, leading with his studs right in front of the assistant referee on the far side.

After a long deliberation, referee Halsey deemed the one-footed tackle dangerous enough to warrant a straight red card - much to the disbelief of the Portman Road faithful.

Town boss Magilton was seething about the decision, which effectively ended the cup tie as a contest.

"I am not condoning it. He was a little bit late, but from an experienced referee, it was a caution," declared the Ipswich manager.

"Liam is 19 years of age, but he has not got a malicious bone in his body. An experienced referee deals with it.

"I have asked the referee at half-time and he has told me he is a professional and he is 100% right. That is what we are dealing with.

"The boy is inconsolable. He feels as if he has let everybody down, but he hasn't. He is a great lad and has done terrifically well for us.

"I think the referee had told him that he was getting booked. Joe Jordan [Portsmouth coach] was in the fourth official's ear telling him it was a sending off, a straight red, which did not really help the situation.

"But at the end of the day, if he has influenced an experience referee, then we really are in trouble"

"I would not appeal against him because he is a professional and is 100% right. God forgive me.

"Maybe he will go to Lourdes and repent, he may have a look at it. I doubt it.

"We will see. Maybe we will have a sit down and think about it, but I am not going to beg for mercy."

Sporting Life / Eurosport