YORK City boss Terry Dolan defended referee Neale Barry's decision not to send off Darren Patterson last night after seeing the defender trip Blackpool's Phil Clarkson when through on goal.

The City new-boy was shown just a yellow card after the 42nd-minute incident, in which the Tangerine's midfielder was felled after being put in the clear by Paul Simpson.

Blackpool manager Steve McMahon blasted the choice of card, saying it was with "utter disbelief" that he saw Patterson escape with a booking.

"I don't like seeing players sent off, but according to the rules, there's no grey area. Our player was clean through and it was a clear sending off offence," he said.

Dolan, however, said: "The lad has cut across Darren and he could not get out of the way. There was no intention (to trip him) there. I would have been very upset if he had been sent off. It was not as though he lunged out at him at all."

City striker Barry Conlon, currently on loan at Second Division Colchester netted the opener in the U's 3-2 home win over Oxford last night.