DORCHESTER Town boss Craig Laird is set to be without defender Toby Down for tomorrow’s visit to Cambridge City (3pm).

The young defender was given a straight-red card after a giving away a penalty against King’ Lynn Town last week, and Laird says he doesn’t think the punishment matched the crime.

He said: “I can see why the referee gave a penalty, because he’s been a bit petulant but I didn’t see any violent conduct. I think a yellow card would have been sufficient punishment for the actual offence.

“I might be kidding myself but I felt it was probably a penalty, but to deem it as violent conduct and for the lad to miss three games, I don’t understand that side of it.”

The Magpies go into the clash with relegation-threatened Cambridge City knowing that a win will mathematically guarantee league survival, and Laird is hoping to get their league status secured this weekend.

He said: “We hoped to be safe last week but, unfortunately, the penalty decision cost us. But you can’t blame it on one decision like the one against Toby on Saturday.

“Spirits are high but the job’s still not done.

“I think as long as we don’t lose on Saturday, that will see us safe, particularly with the way the fixtures pan out. We won’t take that for granted though and we want to try and get the three-points.”