Dover manager Jake Leberl claimed the referee refused to speak to him after their defeat to Chelmsford because he knew he had made a mistake.

Whites’ run of eight matches without a loss ended as they were beaten 1-0 by the unbeaten Clarets in National League South on Tuesday.

Defender Roman Charles-Cook was controversially sent off in the first half and, while goalkeeper and captain Mitch Walker saved the spot-kick from midfielder Jack Bridge, Harry Barbrook promptly got the game’s only goal.

“I’ve just seen it,” said Leberl. “I saw it in real time and I didn’t think it was (a penalty).

“I have just gone to ask to speak to the referee. Even though before the game he said ‘Obviously, you can come in afterwards’, they just talk a load of rubbish! The rules are you’re allowed to go and see the referee after the game and they don’t want to talk - because they know they’ve made a mistake.

“That’s my view on it.”

Leberl thought, even if Craig Barnett decided to give the spot-kick, he still shouldn’t have red-carded the Grenada international. Replays appeared to show Walker was stood right behind Charles-Cook.

Leberl said: “It’s not deliberate handball.

“Mitch is actually behind him so he’s not on the line. Even if it’s a handball, I do not know how he has sent him off.

“We felt a little bit aggrieved in the first half with the four offsides. I’ve not seen them back but I cannot believe that they’re all offside.

“I thought the officials really let us down, to be honest."

Academy boss and Leberl’s assistant, Mike Sandmann, also saw red minutes after Charles-Cook as he protested against his sending-off.

On his No.2’s dismissal, Leberl said: “We were frustrated with quite a few decisions early on.

“The linesman, to me, looked like he was new to this level. I’ve never seen him before and he looked like he was just out of his depth.

“He decided to pull the ref over to get Mike sent off because I don’t think he could handle the situation he was in.”

Indeed, it was only after Sandmann’s dismissal that Dover conceded as Barbrook converted after fans’ favourite Walker had made another initial save from the corner.

“After a brilliant penalty save from Mitch, that was really disappointing,” Leberl admitted.

“Obviously, we needed to stay strong, especially in that moment, and to get into half-time.

“We could have re-grouped so that was really disappointing.

"But they’re an experienced team. They’re unbeaten in this league all season.

"The way they saw out the game, credit to them."

Whites play the second of three straight matches at Crabble in all competitions against Farnham Town, 4-2 midweek winners at Chesham United, on Saturday.