SOUTHEND United midfielder Mark Bentley is hoping to appear for the in-form Shrimpers at Darlington tomorrow after appealing against his mid-week red card against Colchester.

The energetic former Dagenham and Redbridge man controversially received his marching orders after being harshly adjudged to have stamped on the grounded Stephen Hunt in the LDV Vans Trophy win at Layer Road.

But Bentley is praying referee Paul Robinson overturns his decision.

"I just couldn't believe it when I turned round and he showed me a red card," admitted the 26-year-old.

"When I first heard the referee blow his whistle I thought we'd got the free-kick because their guy had jumped in at me.

"I had tried to leap over him, but as I landed my trailing leg accidentally caught him but I didn't know it had at the time."

As a result, Bentley could now serve an immediate three match suspension, unless the East Yorkshire based official admits to making a mistake.

"The club have seen the video and have decided they have a good case to appeal," he added.

"I haven't seen it myself, but they reckon it's fairly innocuous and are waiting to see what's in the referee's report as well.

"I don't know what he's going to say. At the end of the match, after I had calmed down a bit, I went to try and talk to him.

"I asked him to please have a look at the video, but he was still adamant that I had stamped on the player's head."

Bentley could miss tomorrow's match against Darlington, plus the following games against Boston and Swansea.