Carlisle United are set to be without Jamie Devitt for three matches after they decided they will NOT appeal against his red card in their 2-1 defeat at Crewe.

Devitt, 28, was sent off in last night's game in the first half by referee Paul Marsden. He was ruled to have kicked home defender Perry Ng on the 18th minute as the Irishman tried to retrieve the ball.

After reviewing the footage this morning, Blues boss Steven Pressley told the club's website: "We know it’s not in Jamie’s character to do anything of that kind but, unfortunately, the angle of the footage we have did not give us a conclusive view where we felt we could prove Jamie was innocent.

"We asked Crewe for the footage they have from a different angle, but they sent us the same footage we’d already received from the EFL. We were desperate to get that footage from a different angle, because we felt it would prove Jamie’s innocence, but we didn’t receive it in time to lodge an appeal."

Pressley added: "Like I’ve said, the TV angle doesn’t provide us with conclusive evidence of his innocence, and unless we can present a strong case it becomes impossible to get it overturned, even if you know that the player has done no wrong.

"We trust Dev, we’d love to prove his innocence, but unfortunately we do not have the footage to support it and we do not want to put him in a position where his suspension could be extended further."

The news came after Crewe boss David Artell had labelled Devitt "A coward".

After the match, he said: "I thought it was probably the best game I've seen here. 

"I thought it was two good teams, two committed teams - one committed to playing football and one committed to trying to kick the other team in the air. I thought we handled that terrifically well.

"I thought we deserved three points. We knew they would come to block with 11 men. So, when they went down to 10, I don't think much has changed.

"I heard Steven Pressley say 'same principles' and I'm sure that was what was said to them at half-time, because they are used to playing like that. That's why they haven't conceded a lot of goals. That's why they have won plenty of games.

"But I thought the best team won."

He added: "I thought we controlled the game. 

"I don't know when Jamie Devitt deservedly got sent off for kicking someone in the face which is a coward's way.

"[But] I thought we controlled the game even before that."

United boss Pressley will get the chance to respond to Artell's remarks at tomorrow's pre-match press conference, ahead of the MK Dons game on Saturday.