Adam May felt the red cards in their 3-0 defeat to Colchester were the tipping point of the match and “ruined the game.”
Goals from Tom Eastman, Courtney Senior and Brandon Connolly knocked Swindon Town out of the League Cup, but the biggest moment of the match came when Town striker Jerry Yates and Colchester defender Cohen Bramall were both sent off after the pair came together in front of the away fans.
May believes Town struggled to recover after this decision, which he felt was unnecessary.
“I think it was six of one and half a dozen of the other really, it was a little bit petty from the referee as it was handbags really,” said May.
“In my opinion, it ruined the game, but both teams had to adapt to it, but obviously, they came out on top.
“The pitch feels a lot bigger, obviously both teams have a man down, but we have to adapt quickly to things like that, teams change their formations, but after that, I think the game looked a bit scrappy as well, and they just managed to edge it.”
Swindon started the match very quickly and dominated the first half of the match.
Yates and Kaiyne Woolery both had chances well saved and cleared off the line respectively in the first half, while Zeki Fryers also came close with a fizzing shot on his right foot.
In the second half, Lloyd Isgrove came on as a substitute for Scott Twine and looked the most likely to score or create a goal.
He had a header only just tipped over the bar, and he was a constant menace down the left flank.
With all of the created chances, particularly in the first-half, May feels that Town should have won the game.
“From our point of view we should have had the game over in the first half,” said May.
“We had plenty of chances and I think we could’ve had the game won by then.
“In the second half, I still think we started very well, but the game got away from us, and I feel the two sending offs ruined the game, the referee didn’t really need to do that.
“We have to react a lot better when we concede the first goal, but we will move onto the league competition and focus on that.
“We’re disappointed but we have to move on from it.”