Having watched the video I can see the sending off and penalty were for a push in the back not a trip. I think the chap from Chester will have to accept the decision was correct when he sees it. Just because the referee booked every bookable offence doesn't mean he was a bad ref. I thought he treated both teams the same.
Agree completely. The only reason Johnston got to the ball was because he pushed Mooney who was going down as a result. From the refs point of view behind the play I think the push would have been more visible and even the tackle would have looked like it was from behind more than from the side. From the point he decided it was a foul the sending off was inevitable - obviously it prevented a clear goal scoring opportunity.
It does always seem harsh when a genuine attempt to make a tackle - which I think it probably was - results is a penalty and a sending off. But the ref's not at fault if he interprets the laws strictly. It can ruin the game in terms of entertainment but, despite the way some of them behave, it's not their job to make the game entertaining. All we can ask it is that they are consistent and even-handed.