Referee Drysdale loses weekend game for insulting Ipswich's Alan Judge

Darren Drysdale was charged by FA for improper conduct after his unacceptable word exchange with

's

in their goalless draw with

.

The player and the game official were seen exchanging words in the final minutes of the game after Drysdale refused to grant Ipswich a penalty in the 49th minute of the match.

Drysdale later apologized for the mishap, saying:

"I fully understand that it is important for us as referees to maintain our composure throughout the game and always engage with players in a professional manner."

In return Judge responded on

Twitter

, stating:

"There was no need for an apology. I wasn't looking for one or looking for any action to be taken. In football as everybody knows stuff happens in the heat of the moment in a game. We all make mistakes and for me that is the end of this."

The FA also released a statement regarding the referee’s charges, which read:

"Darren Drysdale has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 following last night's EFL League One game between Ipswich Town FC and Northampton Town FC.”

"It is alleged that the match official's behaviour during the 90th minute of the game amounts to improper conduct and he has until Thursday 4 March 2021 to provide a response."

Ipswich manager, Paul Lambert, urging the FA to

"do the right thing"

after speaking with Mike Jones (head of EFL referees) on the matter, told

Sky Sports News

:

"I think the apology is very soft - it's easy to say sorry after the event. What happened was incredible, I've never seen that, for a referee to go head-to-head with a player.”

Former

referee, Dermot Gallagher, who believes Drysdale should have kept his calm while handling the situation, said:

"It's great that he's apologized, that's first class and it acknowledges that he lost his composure for a few seconds on the pitch."

"It will take its course now. I don't know what was said - it's unusual for a referee to react like that and you have to commend the players for what they did, they defused it very quickly.”

"It's interesting that the few times referees get in trouble, the players always pull together to look after them if they get injured or whatever. The players were absolutely excellent in this situation.”

"No matter how heated it gets, you still have to maintain this little bit of distance and stay calm, that's the be-all and end-all for referees because if you're composed that's when you make good decisions.”

"It's tough at times, it's the nature of the beast. You know it's not going to be a walk in the park. The tough times come and you have to deal with them."

Follow

for the

.