STUART McCall has warned Paudie O’Connor to learn from his Forest Green red card while admitting he is still no clearer with what happened.

O’Connor will be banned for City’s next three league games after his dismissal following a clash with Rovers midfielder Ebou Adams.

Anthony O’Connor, who was also sent off, misses Saturday’s home game against Stevenage and City are waiting on the results of Reece Staunton’s scan on his injured ankle.

As McCall plots his defensive options for next weekend, he has threatened to fine Paudie O’Connor two weeks’ wages for indiscipline.

But despite studying various angles, the City chief remains unsure on whether the centre half actually head-butted Adams, who then fell theatrically over an advertising board.

McCall said: “I’m still in two minds. Paudie still shouldn’t go over to him but I don’t think he butted him.

“I’ve seen head butts, I’ve seen people put their heads into faces, move their heads forward. I genuinely don’t think it’s that.

“Paudie has gone head to head with him and their lad has reacted.

“There’s a little dip down the corner as well as you’re coming off the back of the pitch. Paudie is bigger and as he’s gone to him, the boy has come back at him and maybe lost his balance.

“But it is more dramatic. He didn’t need to throw himself over.

“I know certain things were said that I will keep private.

“But on the other hand, as we always say, don’t put yourself in those positions and give the referee a decision to make.”

O’Connor got involved after Adams appeared to fling his arm in Tyler French’s face as the pair competed for a ball going out of play. McCall believes referee Will Finnie must have been unsighted to miss the incident.

He added: “It’s all about different angles. From our side you saw the lad throw his arm out and catch Tyler in the mouth.

“But it depends where you are. If you are looking from the other side of the pitch, you probably don’t see it.

“We had a clearer view from the angle we were at. He chases the ball and is frustrated and throws his arm – you can see Tyler straight away go to his mouth.

“You saw Paudie’s reaction straight after the red card. He was devastated about it.

“I don’t think anyone can see the amount of contact but he still says there was absolutely nothing.”

McCall is using City’s free week without a midweek game to pursue potential reinforcements.

“Between now and Saturday, we've got to get some work done and hopefully bring a couple of bodies in. But it’s not always as easy as that.

“Obviously, this week is about getting through it unscathed – certainly with regards to not getting any injuries to our defenders. But we'll see what happens.”

Staunton injured his left ankle as he landed awkwardly after missing a clearance during the lead-up to Forest Green’s equaliser.

“I think it was just fatigue,” said McCall. “It was a really tired attempted clearance but I understand that because it was into the dying embers of the game. It was 96 minutes and the lads had put everything into it after going down to nine men.”