PNE were thumped by Hull City on Tuesday night

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom expressed his disappointment at Milutin Osmajic’s red card against Hull City.

In the 96th minute of the 0-3 defeat at home to the Tigers, on Tuesday night, Osmajic headbutted Hull midfielder John Lundstram. Referee Steve Martin showed the striker a straight red card.

“It's a sending off, Steve's got no choice,” said Heckingbottom. “Yeah, he has (let us all down). He's not cost us a game, but we've got three big games coming up when we're a striker down.

“A lack of discipline is totally unacceptable. In my time here, if he gets three games for that, that'd be 20 games missed. They are different issues, don't get me wrong, but sending off for a tackle or something is a lot different. He's not learned his lesson.

“The issues are totally unconnected in terms of football, aren't they? But we are professional people, footballers and there's a way to act. Regardless if that's a tackle on the pitch, discipline away from it, training ground, there's a way to be professional.”

It is the latest controversy surrounding Osmajic, who was banned for eight games for biting Owen Beck last season. He was then hit with a nine match ban following an FA hearing into racism allegations made against him by Hannibal Mejbri.

“Whatever's there shouldn't be there,” said Heckingbottom. “It's different isn't it? If that's part of your personal make-up and you're a big strapping centre-forward who smashes people about on the pitch and you play physically, you tend to get in bother. But I don't see that as a player, do you get what I mean?

“He's not dominating centre-backs physically and that's the disappointing thing. If you are getting sent off for those type of things that's helping you in games, as a manager, coach, it's part of the game and it's a decision for the referee, what they deem yellow cards, red cards.

“If you're making genuine physical attempts, whether they're deemed aggressive or not, because you want to win... but that's not. The game's dead and he's fallen for it. Lunny's grabbed him, they are 3-0 up, they can do what they want and he's fallen for it. That happens all the time doesn't it? Loads of people don't react.”

After the red card for Osmajic, a brawl in the dugout ensued and PNE coach Peter Murphy was sent off along with Hull City’s goalkeeping coach.

“One of their guys in our technical area, that's what started it,” said Heckingbottom. “I don't think anything happened, but he's just sent one off from each side. I don't know who it was on their team, just the guy who was in our technical area. He could’ve picked anyone and sent anyone off.”