Jamie Murphy: Brighton to contest forward's red card

Jamie Murphy scored his first goal for Brighton before being sent off against Bolton

Championship leaders Brighton & Hove Albion will appeal against the red card shown to Jamie Murphy in Saturday's 2-2 draw against Bolton.

The 26-year-old forward was sent off for a challenge on Neil Danns with 15 minutes remaining.

Murphy is currently set to serve a three-match suspension.

"My first impression, some 50 or 60 yards away, is that he slipped and he swept the lad's feet away from him," Brighton boss Chris Hughton said.

"I would have been the first to hold my hand up if I'd seen studs up. But from my angle that's not what I've seen."

Hughton told BBC Sussex that he felt referee Mark Haywood was influenced by Danns' reaction to the tackle and that the dismissal cost them victory.

"The referee, instead of making what I felt should have been an an appropriate decision, which for me was a yellow card, he chose to give a red," the 56-year-old added.

"I've got no doubt that the result changed on the referee's decision. It is an awful decision he has made.

"They got the equalising goal from pressure, putting balls in the box. That wouldn't be the case if you have 11 players on the pitch, because you are able to maintain pressure further up the pitch."

A three-match ban for Murphy would rule him out of league games against Cardiff City, Leeds United and Bristol City.

An FA Regulatory Commission will review Brighton's submission, as well as a match report from Haywood, before reaching a decision.