'Upset' Jack Perkins 'feels like he's let everyone down' as Cobblers consider appeal after red card

The 22-year-old’s first Nene derby lasted just 10 minutes after his high challenge on Peter Kioso was deemed dangerous by referee John Busby, who brandished a straight red card. He will now serve a three-game suspension unless Cobblers win an appeal.

Asked how Perkins was feeling after the 2-1 defeat at London Road, Nolan said: "Jack’s OK. These things happen. We’ve all had them in our careers but he’s obviously very upset because it hurts him and he feels like he’s let everyone down.

"As I said to him, for me it wasn’t a sending off any day of the week and he’s just unfortunate that he was on the wrong end of it today, but he’ll be OK and he’ll bounce back.

"We’ll look at appealing. I think we probably will do and I’m hoping it gets overturned and we can move on.”

Nolan was booked following the full-time whistle after remonstrating with the officials at full-time.

He added: "I end up picking a yellow card at the end of the game because of my frustration with the officials and their poor decisions. We’ve been told sorry too many times now. I think I’ve had five sorries already this season and it’s another a very poor decision today, very, very poor, and it’s come back to bite us and it ruined the game.”

Asked if he’ll speak to the referee again, Nolan said: "I can’t speak to him again. That’s a job for Colin (Calderwood), an older, calmer head, because I can’t speak to him.

"He said that the assistant linesman made the decision but the referee is 15 yards away and he should be able to see it. I could see from the other side of the pitch that he hasn’t hit him in the face. The lad (Kioso) then came off and got his hand bandaged up, which makes it even worse. I’m just so frustrated.”