Darlington'S new assistant manager Martin Gray has slammed Oxford United's players for getting Danny Mellanby sent off at the weekend.

The Quakers striker was dismissed for the second time - his first coming at Torquay in September - this season after clashing with Us goalkeeper Andy Woodman.

Mellanby, booked in the first half for a foul on Matt Robinson, received his marching orders 12 minutes into the second half for barging into Woodman.

However, former Us midfielder Gray believes the remonstrations from the Oxford players and the over-reaction of Woodman played a role in his sending off.

"There was nothing at all for the second yellow card," said Gray.

"The keeper went down and made a meal of things which didn't do him any favours. The players all gathered around and made a big thing of nothing really and the referee carried on from there.

"The players get the players sent off."

Gray was also unhappy with referee Andre Marriner's decision to reduce Quakers to nine men with the dismissal of defender David McGurk late in the game.

The Teessider, harshly sent off at Mansfield last month, saw red for the second time this season following a challenge on Chris Hackett after appearing to win the ball.

"He played the ball just before he made contact with the player," said Gray. "He might have caught the player but the ball definitely did move.

"We were down to nine men but really there wasn't a bad challenge in the game."

McGurk and Mellanby will be suspended for the visit of Lincoln City on November 15.

It was McGurk who headed Quakers into a first-half lead only for substitute Mark Rawle to level seven minutes into the second half in what Gray thought was an offside position.

"I've listened to senior pros like Neil Maddison and Craig Liddle and they thought it was offside," said Gray.

"I couldn't see it myself but you have to judge it by what your players say."