Blackpool captain singled out twice by Portsmouth boss following challenge that 'was a straight red card'

John Mousinho has twice now slammed the Ollie Norburn tackle that ended Portsmouth forward Callum Lang’s afternoon at Bloomfield Road on Saturday.

Speaking immediately after the goalless draw, the infuriated Pompey boss accused the Seasiders captain of deliberately going out to hurt the former Wigan man in the 46th-minute of the game.

He then reiterated his displeasure with the challenge, which Norburn got booked for, during his Monday press conference for Portmsouth's game against Burton on Tuesday night.

Having watched his January signing from Wigan limp off 10 minutes later, Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent on Saturday: ‘I thought the challenge on Callum Lang from Norburn was far worse (than the Jordan Rhodes sending off incident) - I think that was a straight red. There’s no chance he’s winning the ball and he goes to hurt him. I think he went to (Pompey midfielder) Myles Peart-Harris in the first half as well and that was the worst challenge of the two.

‘He (Lang) is not great, and honestly, I thought it was a really poor challenge. He’s hurt his ankle, he’s turned it, and it’s probably too early to see what the actual prognosis is. But it’s another one this season from a very, very poor challenge where we’ve ended up with an injury.’

Speaking to The Portsmouth News on Monday, the Fratton Park head coach revealed the injury picked up by Lang was not as bad as first feared. He’s ‘50/50’ for the game against the Brewers. But Mousinho was clearly still needled by the Norburn incident.

He said: The one (challenge) at the weekend with Callum, I think it was a really poor challenge. We’ve watched it back, I don’t think the lad could have won the ball in any circumstance. He’s gone through the back of him and Callum’s taken the full brunt of it. It was a really, really poor tackle, to be honest, and one we’re disappointed with. But that happens in football, we’ve got to get on with it.’