Booted off – Oliver Norburn gets bizarre red card in Notts County defeat

Oliver Norburn was sent off for throwing his opponent’s boot away as Notts County lost 3-2 to League Two promotion rivals Chesterfield.

County put up a huge fight after his 19th-minute dismissal, twice fighting back from behind to level, but Liam Mandeville’s second-half winner settled the contest.

Armando Dobra soon made himself the villain at Meadow Lane. He was accused by the home crowd of feigning injury during a tangle with Norburn before then cupping his ears in front of the Kop after starting and finishing the 16th-minute move which ended with him firing Dilan Markanday’s cross past James Belshaw.

And the Albanian was involved again three minutes later when he lost his boot in a challenge with Norburn who, 10 minutes after picking up his first booking, flung the item off the field and was shown a second yellow card.

County responded well and in the 36th minute Sil Swinkels turned the ball into his own net attempting to clear Jodi Jones’ cross.

Tom Naylor restored Chesterfield’s lead in the 44th minute with a header from Tom Pearce’s cross but Matty Platt bundled home from close range to make it 2-2 at half-time.

However, County had no response when Mandeville nodded in Sammy Braybrooke’s 66th-minute delivery.