Doncaster Rovers 0-0 Notts County

Shaun Derry was sent to the stands after his striker was dismissed

Notts County striker Kwame Thomas was sent off while being substituted in a goalless draw at Doncaster Rovers.

The County striker, already on a booking, was being replaced by Billy Daniels in the 87th minute when referee Richard Clark showed him a second yellow for going off too slowly.

Clark failed to produce the red card immediately though and there was confusion on the touchline.

Thomas was finally sent off and Daniels had to be recalled to the bench.

In the subsequent melee, County boss Shaun Derry was sent to the stands for protesting, before watching his side survive a Rovers onslaught in the closing stages.

Alan Smith had hit the Doncaster crossbar with a 25-yard volley in the first half, before Hayden Mullins had to clear off the Notts' line after Nathan Tyson had rounded keeper Roy Carroll.

Hungarian striker Balint Bajner came off the bench in the second half for the Magpies, after signing a deal earlier in the day following his release by Ipswich.

But after the dismissal of Thomas, who is on loan from Derby County, Carroll was forced into a superb save from Rovers' Harry Forrester and Curtis Main saw an effort cleared off the line.

Both sides could have climbed into the League One play-off places with a win, but remain level on 35 points.

Notts County assistant manager Greg Abbott told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"I think we've seen what we are all about. The way we have defended tonight was very, very good. It was a top battling performance. We put bodies on the line and Roy Carroll put in a performance that we have become used to.

"We still had the best chance of the game when Alan Smith hit the bar. It was a great effort and as soon as he hit it we said 'goal', but it just hit the bar."

On Thomas's red card: "I think if the referee had realised it was his second yellow he wouldn't have sent him off. I've never seen anything like that in the game."

Billy Daniels (left) had to sit back on the bench after Kwame Thomas's sending off, much to the amusement of Alan Smith