Dunfermline captain Austin McCann is backing his club’s bid to get Gary Mason’s red card rescinded.
The Pars midfielder was ordered off by referee Steve O’Reilly after just 27 minutes of Saturday’s game against Dundee United.
He was ruled to have made a lunge at Tangerines striker Johnny Russell. However, manager Jim McIntyre, after viewing video of the incident, argued that it was not even a foul.
At worst, a booking would have been a more appropriate punishment and the Pars will contact the SFA asking for the decision to be overturned to allow Mason to face Hibs at Easter Road on Saturday.
McCann revealed even some opposition players thought his team-mate had been harshly treated and he is hoping the governing body give Mason a break.
He said: ”The referee said to me it was a lunge and that he had to go. He said that’s the rules.
”But I thought it was very harsh and about 10 minutes later there was a similar incident with one of our players and we didn’t even get a foul for it.
”I have seen it on the video again there and it doesn’t look like a red card.”
Asked if the club were right to appeal it, McCann said: ”I think that would be fair. Gary is an important player for us and we would miss him.
”We need all the experienced players we can get.”