DORCHESTER skipper Alex Browne admitted "I should know better," after collecting a red card that is likely to rule him out of four of his side's next five games.

He was sent off for only the second time in his career for foul and abusive language towards a linesman when his side were losing 2-1 away to third-placed Basingstoke.

And although the ten-man Magpies responded superbly to stretch their unbeaten run to four games with a late equaliser from Justin Keeler, Browne was left regretting his outburst.

"I lost my rag and there's no two ways about it, I should know better," admitted Browne. "I've never been a dirty player but I've been booked five times already this season and maybe that's because I'm getting a bit slower.

"But the only other time I have been sent off in over 700 games was when I handled on the goal-line to prevent a goal.

"I'm already due to miss next week's game at home to Bishop's Stortford because my yellow at Paulton last week was my fifth and although I should be okay for the FA Trophy game at Eastbourne, I suppose I'll now be out for another three after that.

"In a way it could be a bit of a blessing because I have been having a few niggles with my ankle recently and had to have an injection to enable me to play.

"They won't give me any more, but now I'll have to rest it, so if the time could be right for something like this to happen I suppose this is it."

The Magpies captain said he saw red shortly after he had been stamped on by a Stoke attacker who then hit him in the face with the back of his hand.

"I was left with a seven-inch stud mark on my inner thigh and the linesman was looking straight at me when he did it," said Browne. "But the ref spoke to the wrong man and a few minutes later their bloke was allowed to go through when he was about five yards offside - and that wasn't for the first time.

"I reacted because I thought the linesman had been inept and the ref produced a straight red."

Browne praised his team-mates for the way they responded to being reduced to ten men.

"Fair play to the lads, they found an extra gear from then on and Justin's equaliser was a great goal."