PLYMOUTH Argyle manager Paul Sturrock refused to blame referee Simon Hooper for not sending off Ipswich Town captain Jon Walters at Home Park on Saturday.

Elvin King

PLYMOUTH Argyle manager Paul Sturrock refused to blame referee Simon Hooper for not sending off Ipswich Town captain Jon Walters at Home Park on Saturday.

Defender Kari Arnason suffered a nasty gash above his right eye in the second half and claimed he had been elbowed by Walters.

The former Iceland international needed lengthy treatment, both on the pitch and by the side of it, before he was able to continue playing with heavy bandaging around his head.

Sturrock said: “To be fair to the referee, he didn't see the Arnason incident, so it would have been very difficult for him to do anything about it.

“I was right behind him and there were three people ahead of him.

“I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt on that, but having said that, I would have expected the linesman to have done something about it, or the fourth official.”

Sturrock is set to appeal over the 84th minute sending off of Argyle substitute Darcy Blake for a two-footed tackle on Alan Quinn.

The Cardiff City loan signing made a crucial goal-line clearance before ordered off and faces a three-match ban.

“We have watched it since then and it doesn't seem to be the challenge the referee thought it was,” said Sturrock.

“We are contemplating an appeal, but I want to look at it first before I make any decisions.

“I don't think he (Hooper) has got it right, and I'm hopeful that if we do appeal he's man enough to have a look at it and take away the red card.”

It was the first time Blake had been sent-off, and he was convinced it was a clean tackle.

He said: “I know I took the ball. Whether or not it was two-footed, I didn't really see myself. The adrenalin just takes over.”

Sturrock and new head coach Paul Mariner stood together in the Argyle technical area for most of the match.

It was former Ipswich Town star Mariner's first match at Home Park since his appointment and Sturrock welcomed his presence saying:

“Paul wears his heart on his sleeve. He's a get-up-and-go type of person and he has benefited the team since his arrival.

“I think the two of us worked very well. We had different ideas and different comments and I'm well suited to that.”