STUART McCall admitted Romain Vincelot’s red card was the turning point as City were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Doncaster.

The Bantams skipper was sent straight off for a lunge on Alfie May on the hour in the 3-2 loss at Valley Parade.

McCall did not defend Vincelot and said: “I’ve not seen it again but it looked a poor challenge on first sight.

“As soon as I saw it, I thought to myself ‘this could be a red’.

“It’s a blow he will be missing three games now but it was a spirited effort after we went down to ten men. It’s disappointing to be out but there were some good performances.”

Doncaster boss Darren Ferguson was in no doubt that referee Darren Drysdale had made the right call.

Ferguson said: “The sending off was a clear red and a naughty tackle.”

Vincelot’s three-game ban gives McCall another defensive headache. He threw in on-loan Tom Field at left back for the injured Adam Chicksen.

The suspension increases City’s need to bring in a centre half – but McCall is not hugely hopeful of doing that before the weekend trip to Gillingham.

He added: “Everyone at the club is doing their absolute best to get something done.

“But sometimes you’ve got to wait for another decision from somewhere else to be made before we can get anybody in.

“We’d like to think we can get someone in (by Saturday) but I don’t honestly know.

“It’s the first suspension we’ve had since I’ve been back at the club. We were the best side last season discipline-wise with no red cards or accumulated bookings.”

City twice fought back to level through Dominic Poleon, who was making his first start, and Alex Jones. But Doncaster clinched it with a late winner from on-loan Sheffield United midfielder Ben Whiteman.

“I generally thought we’d only get an hour out of Dom because he missed some pre-season,” said McCall.

“The way he plays is dynamic and he put everything into it.”

Shay McCartan was rested as a precaution with a sore hamstring. Meanwhile, Jordan Gibson’s move is set to be finally confirmed once international clearance has been sorted.