Arsenal loanee reflects on FA's decision not to overturn red card in Blackpool's defeat to Wimbledon earlier in the campaign

That’s according to the Arsenal loanee, who was dismissed for an apparent elbow during the 1-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon in October.

Blackpool, who ended the game with nine men after Ethan Robson had also been sent off, appealed both dismissals.

However, their appeals were knocked back, with the FA claiming there was insufficient evidence to overturn the two reds - leaving both Ballard and Robson to serve three-game suspensions.

Looking back on that decision ahead of Saturday’s clash against Fylde coast rivals Fleetwood Town, Ballard said: “We all thought it was going to get overturned, so it felt like I had been sent off again when it didn’t get overturned. That was the feeling.

“It’s something I’ll definitely learn from. I don’t want to be in that position again because it was horrible having to sit on the sidelines and wait for your opportunity again. You want to be out there helping the team.

“It was just such a split-second thing. Maybe I wouldn’t do the same thing but when you’re competing for balls, especially in this league when you’re doing it all the time, you just want to get back up and challenge for the ball again.

“Maybe I will think twice if I’m in the wrong position and maybe with my arms I’ll keep them a bit lower, but I never wanted to go and elbow him. I never did it intentionally.

“It’s one of those things I’ll have to learn from, especially because players will look for a flailing arm and then they’ll go on the ground and everyone will be around the referee.

“I’m sure we’d do the same thing if someone else had the arm up, it’s just something I’ve got to learn from. It might just be that little bit of inexperience.

“I’ve been through it now and it won’t happen again.”

Ballard was recently part of the Northern Ireland squad that suffered heartbreak in their final qualifier for Euro 2020 against Slovakia,

Prior to that, Ballard had started the Nations League games against Austria and Romania.

“The Northern Ireland experience was amazing and something I always enjoy doing going away with them,” the 21-year-old said.

“I need to continue playing well for Blackpool to get as many opportunities to go away with them again.

“On a personal note, I really enjoyed the opportunities to play for Northern Ireland but for the team we were only one step away, 10 minutes away from going to the Euros and that would have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“But we have a strong team at Northern Ireland and I’m sure we’ll bounce back and we’ll get more opportunities.”

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