BANNED Mark Tinkler could be free to play in York City's big match with Manchester City after referee Frazer Stretton agreed to look at a video of the incident which led to his sending off.

Tinkler was shown the red card by the Nottingham official in the FA Cup defeat at Wrexham for blocking a goal-bound shot with his elbow. The decision infuriated City manager Alan Little and Tinkler who claimed he could not have got out the way when Wrexham striker Neil Roberts shot from just a yard away.

Little has now had chance to watch the video and is hopeful Tinkler will be proved right.

He said: "I've watched it 12 or 15 times and the ball struck him on the back of the elbow. He griammaced away. He turned his head and body away.

There's no way he could have got out the way."

Little has spoken to Stretton and confirmed the referee is prepared to look for himself.

He said: "I've asked him to seriously look at it. I feel it's very harsh and I've asked him to look at it and turn the decision round.

"He's said he's not had a chance to look at the incident since the game and wants to look at the video. He said he would be willing to look to see which way he would go. There's no way it was intentional and I hope he can see the same as us."

The club have lodged an appeal and sent the video to the Football Association who will forward it to Sretton.

Tinkler received a one-match ban for the dismissal which would rule him out of the Bootham Crescent showdown with Manchester City on December 19.

That gives Stretton all of next week to study the evidence before deciding whether to reverse his decision.

It would be a welcome boost for Little whose injury-stricken squad will be depleted even further for the Manchester City when defender Martin Reed will start his suspension after also being sent off at Wrexham.

Earlier in the season striker Rodney Rowe had a three-match ban overturned. Rowe was dismissed, also by Stretton, for allegedly throwing a punch in the game at Millwall. But he claimed it was a case of mistaken identity and his ban was scrubbed when a Millwall player came forward to clear his name.

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