Hartlepool manager Danny Wilson bemoaned the sending off of defender Sam Collins following his side's 2-1 defeat at the hands of Southend.Alan McCormack had just cancelled out Anthony Sweeney's first-half opener for Pools when Collins appeared to elbow Lee Barnard in the face off the ball.

Referee Gavin Ward consulted his assistant before sending Collins off and from the resulting free-kick Nick Bailey scored the winning goal.

"It was a harsh decision and was the decisive moment of the match," Wilson said. "Sam told me afterwards that he did not make any contact with the Southend player with his elbow.

"But that's the way it goes sometimes and you just have to accept it.

"I'm disappointed not to have come away with anything from the match. We had enough chances today to have got a point."

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