Former Nottingham Forest academy graduate James Perch endured a nightmare return to action on Tuesday night.
Having picked up 15 yellow cards last season, Perch was forced to sit out the first three games of the new season as punishment, but his first taste of League Two action this term could barely have gone any worse.
Just 21 minutes into Scunthorpe United’s visit to Cambridge, Perch was given his marching orders for a lunge on U's striker Harvey Knibbs by referee Charles Breakspear.
At that point in the clash at the Abbey Stadium, the score was tied at 0-0 and it looked like Perch’s blushes may have been spared when Rory McArdle gave the Iron a 1-0 lead at the break.
Unfortunately for Perch and United, Cambridge, managed by his old Forest boss Colin Calderwood, went on to win the game 3-2, leaving the ex-Red man to contemplate yet another spell on the sidelines, though the club may yet opt to appeal.
“My initial reaction was I was very surprised,” boss Paul Hurst told the Grimsby Telegraph.
“Have seen footage and he clearly wins the ball and not sure what he’s supposed to do with his foot and that’s my issue with it.”
