Southend United's Michael Timlin: I know I can’t afford to get booked against Dagenham & Redbridge (From Echo)

Southend United's Michael Timlin: I know I can’t afford to get booked against Dagenham & Redbridge

11:00am Tuesday 9th October 2012 in Blues By Chris Phillips

SOUTHEND United midfielder Michael Timlin will be walking a disciplinary tight-rope in tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy game against Dagenham and Redbridge at Roots Hall.

Timlin is just one booking away from picking up a one match ban.

And Blues can ill afford for the 27-year-old to work his way into the referee’s notebook as he remains the only available senior midfielder in the squad.

“I know I’m going to have to be careful tonight because with John Spicer out suspended for another two matches it would be a blow if I got banned too,” said Timlin.

“The manager had a word with the whole team about how he didn’t want players to be needlessly sat in the stand suspended and I think we’ve all taken that on board.

“My game is all about putting pressure on players and making challenges and I don’t want to lose that.

“But I know I have to sensible tonight because I certainly don’t want to be missing against Rotherham.”

Timlin’s fourth booking of the season came against Barnet on Saturday when he was harshly booked for what appeared to be a fair challenge on Bees’ winger Ricky Holmes.

Holmes even told referee Brendan Malone not to show Timlin a yellow card.

However, the former Swindon Town midfielder feels most of his bookings have been unfair this season.

“I would say that only the booking I picked up against Burton was actually a yellow card,” said Timlin.

“For all the other ones I have won the ball and that was certainly the case on Saturday.

“Ricky, who I spent a lot of the summer trying to get the gaffer to sign, even told the referee I shouldn’t have been booked but he didn’t listen and now I’m disappointed to be so close to a ban.”

Timlin has also been sent off already this season after being shown two yellow cards in the 2-0 defeat at Oxford United in August. And he knows Blues will be in for a tough second round clash tonight.

“I always think Dagenham are a very hard team to play and I’m sure they will be again this evening,” he said.