An ex-Premier League referee says Gillingham were lucky not to have been playing with 10 men on Saturday.

The Football League’s ‘behind the whistle’ feature picks out some key moments across the EFL and a high challenge from Gills’ captain Shaun Williams was one of them.

It was a game full of disputed decisions and the home side felt the majority went against them. Gillingham won it 2-0.

Retired Premier League referee Chris Foy looked at the potential red card incident when Williams went in high on Tom Dallison with 27 minutes played.

The match official Alan Young showed Williams a yellow card but Mr Foy said: “I think this is another subjective decision that can split opinions once reviewed.

“It is a high challenge by the Gillingham player and at the speed of it is a little out of control. Whilst full contact isn’t made, I think this incident could have resulted in a red card being issued.”

Colchester manager Matt Bloomfield was focused on other issues post-match, claiming the ball had gone out of play prior to Gills’ opener, although you would have to rewind play some way to find it.

The second goal was crucial and the hosts thought Gills defender Max Ehmer had impeded Junior Tchamadeu - who was supposed to be marking goalscorer Tom Nichols. The Gills man ran onto Alex MacDonald’s ball into the box for a simple headed finish.

Colchester had plenty of the ball but couldn’t finish and they had four penalty appeals that came and went, with Mr Young ignoring every one.

The Colchester manager said: “We kind of stopped (for the first one) because we thought the ball was out. We have to remember that until a decision is given we have to keep playing.

“The second one is a clear foul on Junior who was marking Nichols and that gives him a free header.

“We were the ones who passed the ball better, were in the ascendancy, we had them camped in second half and we’re disappointed to come away with nothing.”

And on the penalty appeals, he added: “Certainly two, if not three penalties, we felt we could have had, the decisions for their goals were maybe slight, we felt they were more than that, that is the game, sometimes they go for you and sometimes against.”