Maidstone midfielder Regan Booty will serve a three-match ban after the FA dismissed an appeal against his sending-off at Hungerford.

The panel’s verdict will come as a shock to Booty, who described his second-half dismissal in United’s 3-2 defeat on Saturday as a “ridiculous decision”.

Embarrassingly, for referee Ross Martin, it was Booty’s second red card of the afternoon.

He withdrew the first one - given for a supposed handball on the line - on the advice of his linesman, instead awarding Hungerford their second goal.

The second red came after Booty appeared to win the ball cleanly in a challenge with Jake Evans after the Stones had hit back to level at 2-2.

But with Hungerford players surrounding the referee and the home bench demanding action, Booty was sent off.

Maidstone appealed but it was thrown out yesterday, meaning the midfielder will miss matches against Slough, Havant and Chippenham.

“I don’t think you’ll see many worse decisions in any game,” said Booty, speaking after Saturday’s match.

“I’ve literally stuck my leg out, won the ball, I’ve clearly won the ball.

“I don’t honestly know what the ref’s thought to send me off.

“All the players are stood round him, he’s backed off, panicked and given me the red card.

“I don’t think he thought about what he wanted to do, he didn’t speak to his linesman, who was right by it, and because it was right by their bench he’s made a rash decision.

“I’ve never been sent off in my career and to be shown two red cards in a day is a bit of a strange one.

“The last thing I wanted was to get sent off for the team and the punishment of missing three games for something that’s not even a foul in my opinion. It’s not what you need.”

Booty was equally bemused by his first red card which came after Ryan Seager’s effort hit his knee and ricocheted on to his arm while standing on the goalline from a corner.

He was allowed to stay on after the linesman advised Martin the ball was already over the line.

“I don’t know what to make of it,” said Booty.

“I’m on the line, I’ve blocked it with my knee and it’s gone up on to my arm, so he’s sent me off.

“The linesman’s dragged him and said it’s gone over the line but I don’t know how he’s said that. If anything, I’m in front of the line.

“The referee called the captains over and said you’re not getting sent off but it’s gone in.

“Regardless of whether the ball’s gone in the back of the net or not, it’s not a sending-off, it’s hit my knee and gone up on to my arm, it’s taken a deflection off my leg but it’s not going in anyway.

“I don’t want to say too much but there’s a lot of decisions where he’s been persuaded by them shouting and that, and ultimately I think that’s why he sent me off the second time.

“If we don’t go down to 10 men I think we win the game.

“It’s cost us but if you score twice away from home, you shouldn’t be losing.”

Maidstone have slipped to seventh in National South after taking one points from their last four games.

They host Slough at the Gallagher this Saturday determined to get their form together, even without Booty.

“It’s a matter of time before something clicks and we go and beat someone four or five,” said Booty.

“We’re creating the chances, we’re just not putting the ball in the back of the net.

“It’s up to us as players to turn it round quickly and beat Slough.

“Morale around the place is still good.

“You obviously want to stay as positive as possible.

“We’ve not been playing badly, we’ve just not been scoring goals and we’ve been conceding too easily.

“There’s obviously a long way to go, we’re only 11 games in.

“Hopefully things will turn round sooner rather than later and we can start another run like we had earlier on in the season.”

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