DOUGIE Freedman condemned the “semi-professional attitude” of referee Trevor Kettle after watching Wanderers finish with nine men in defeat to Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

Sam Ricketts and Craig Davies were both shown red cards as the Whites blew a two-goal lead at The Valley – a result that could prove a fatal blow to their chances of returning to the Premier League.

Both dismissals were incorrect in Freedman’s view, and while the Glaswegian has sympathy for Kettle and his fellow officials who are not full-time, his anger at the potential implications of the Rutland referee’s performance was hard to miss.

“£100million is at stake – there are players in there who have got their futures and their careers at stake,” he said after the final whistle. “It’s not his fault, the £30,000 he gets to train has got to be looked at.

“I can’t criticise referees because he’s probably had a long 12-hour shift yesterday.

“The first yellow card for Sam is not right and the second yellow card for Craig is not right.

“I’ll probably need to go to sleep before I give my true comment because it’s a semi-professional attitude towards refereeing again.”

Marvin Sordell and Medo had given Wanderers a comfortable cushion before Jonnie Jackson led the Charlton fightback. After Ricketts’ dismissal, Dorian Dervite and Yann Kermorgant snatched a priceless three points for Chris Powell’s side.

But it would be erratic Rutland referee Kettle who would really steal the spotlight.

With echoes of the infamous display of Barry Knight in the play-off semi-final against Ipswich Town, Kettle produced an amazing 10 yellow cards between the 42nd minute and the moment he walked back down the tunnel after the game.

Ricketts was sent off for two bookable offences – an apparent trip on Callum Harriott disputed by the Wanderers’ camp and a tangle with Ricardo Fuller.

Davies’ red was even more surprising as a 94th-minute booking for dissent was followed just three minutes later with another for foul play against Bradley Pritchard.

Both will now miss tomorrow’s home game against Huddersfield Town.

Davies’ second booking was bitterly disputed by Freedman, who believes the speed of the modern game is proving too much for officials who are not able to train full time. “The guy is semi-professional, he’s working every day,” he said. “How can I expect for him for him to keep up with play or get the angle, because I don’t think he saw Craig Davies. He wasn’t in the correct position because he probably isn’t fit enough because he doesn’t train full time. I can never criticise referees because they are not full time.

“These guys run around at some speed, trust me, because I can’t do it any more.

“I think we played with intensity, with speed of thought, but unfortunately the crowd cheers and the referee responds to the crowd and makes decisions that are inconsistent.”