Exeter go viral as Lincoln’s Paudie O’Connor only gets yellow for pulling down Vincent Harper

Exeter City go viral as Lincoln’s Paudie O’Connor only gets a yellow card for pulling down Vincent Harper on the counter attack.

The two sides’ 1-1 draw on Saturday saw Exeter end a run of six straight defeats against the Imps, courtesy of Ryan Trevitt’s late equaliser at St James Park.

Exeter played it nervously at the start of the League One fixture, before failing to clear a long throw with Will Aimson’s missed header leading to Paudie O’Connor crossing the ball, meeting Alistair Smith, and netted from 10 yards.

The home side put the pressure on come second half, grabbing a deserved equaliser in the 81st minute when Mitchell found Trevitt and the Brentford loanee headed in from eight yards.

🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/BgkGMvYYWD

— Exeter City FC (@OfficialECFC) October 29, 2023

But one moment in particular got plenty of people talking, O’Connor being booked for hauling down Harper who looked to break away on the 89th minute.

Gary Caldwell said on the incident: “I went to speak to the referee and you know if you raise your hands and and you pull somebody around the throat then I think you’re endangering an opponent I think it’s a reckless challenge and you know they allowed it to happen and and booked a player when and even could have left the game going because Demetri Mitchell actually picked up the the second phase as the ball rolled on so uh you know really frustrated with referees at minute like I said he allowed them to slow the game down the whole game and and didn’t act on it we were told at the start of the season that we wanted the game to be more ball in play we wanted the game to be more free flowing and to be a better spectacle and you know every single week we watch a team here it’s our fault for giving them the goal start we have to get better at that but then the ref allows them to slow the game down.”

On the game, he added: “Especially in the second half, I thought we were excellent.

“For the first time this season, we’ve come back from losing a game to get something. I’m absolutely delighted with the players. With the run we are on it would been easy to feel hard done by.

“We create numerous chances in the second half and could have won the game. We still could have done more, but this is a brilliant foundation for us to build on.

“We looked edgy first half but got back to our rhythm. We have to improve on transition as it’s too easy for the opposition to counter attack against us. We rode our luck in moments, which gave us the belief to get back in the game.”

This is what fans said after Exeter go viral as a video shows Lincoln’s Paudie O’Connor only gets a yellow card for pulling down Vincent Harper…

@bfrankland1: 😂 problem is the lack of consistency. Professional foul is supposed to be red card. Guy makes no attempt to go for ball so should be a red whenever someone doesn’t go for ball. Same with Man City pen. It is a pen but don’t all get given! Give them all the time they’d soon stop

@andreMTP_: Gotta be red, endangering your opponent without any regard for the ball, stopped a counter and made him smash his head off the floor. Glad to see the refs up and down the leagues are fucking shite, not just prem

@mirkobolesan: I am not certain of the current laws of the game but I think this sort of thing should be a red card.

@bwfc_elliot: This is the most obvious yellow card I’ve ever seen, and the ref gave it. Says a lot about people’s bias that they think this is a red

@dcg82: Pull back on the counter is a standard yellow, it’s where he’s grabbed him that changes it for me. At full pace being thrown to the ground by your neck is so dangerous #ecfc

@seandonegan07: This man will genuinely do anything he can possibly do for his team. Someone with a bit of passion. Imagine we still had him alongside Stubbs 😩. #bcafc

@HLTCO: I’m sure there’s some sort of grey area in the guidelines which means this can be shown a yellow and not a red but come on, that’s as clear a sending off as you’re likely to see when common sense comes into play?

@bIurt99: Remember when chiellini did this to saka in the euros final and there was the bird who wanted him to be arrested 😂

@Banquetinnbar: Foul & dangerous play Straight red

@ryancodling07: Mateys dressed up as chiellini for Halloween

@Peteu1978: Ref was an embarrassment to the profession so much time wasting unpunished and this decision was a joke

@cheesycobdave: More appalling refereeing in the EFL

@spaulinnit: If the guy isn’t challenging for the ball and uses excessive force or brutality then it’s violent conduct. How is it established that he is challenging for the ball? In my opinion he isn’t and I would give a red. Surely football expects a red for this.

@DobboYork: He pulls him down albeit at speed. Is it “violent”? Doesn’t kick him, elbow him, go in studs up. It’s subjective as to whether it’s a red. I’d say it’s a yellow. It is certainly not a definite red and the referee is not “wrong”. It’s his subjective interpretation of the rules.

@Dlnorton150879: What are you guys moaning at? Perfectly legit tackle 🤣

@DavidHindmarsh7: How can a conscious being actually think that’s a yellow card 😂😭🤣

@Josh_T95: As a rule of thumb, I’d say if it’s a red card in rugby, it’s probably a red card in football too

@HackJinton: it’s a tough one, reminds me of the Chiellini one on Saka. Cynical for sure and i think more towards a red as it’s not a trip to stop a counter but a rugby tackle 😂

@Kkasir23: I think this is a sending off and I’ll explain why. We watch the game for attacking purposes – as good as some defensive set ups are and the chess games are brilliant to watch – these are deliberate actions stopping goals which is why we watch. This isn’t defending.

@TheRokerMackem: A clear red card, made no attempt for the ball and has just rugby tackled him down round his neck 😂

@TalkChelseaBlue: That should be a red. I love a professional foul but if your actions have caused the opponent to smash their head on the turf, it’s far too much.

@AshmanJase: This is a red card in rugby let alone footy 🤣

@russell_liburd: Blatant high tackle, clear red card!!! Even #VAR wouldn’t have got that wrong!!! Same in both codes of Rugby 🏉, punishment would be red all day long. Ref embarrassed that he fouled up here!!! 😡😡😡😡

@past_sunderland: That’s attempted murder that. Fucking hell

@DRobinson87: Never get my head around how this kind of thing isn’t deemed a red card. It’s a professional foul, zero intention of playing the ball. Happened in the Leeds game at the weekend and was a yellow too. Keep showing yellows and players will keep doing it. Bonkers

@hithisiswes: Similar ‘challenge’ on Max Aarons on Saturday. No attempt to play the ball, deliberate and dangerous foul endangering the safety of an opponent. Something has to be done to stop this.

O’Connor x Chiellini pic.twitter.com/iErSGjKDUl

— Will (@TheSincilBanker) October 29, 2023