English amateur player sent off after 3 seconds

LONDON (AP) -- Amateur footballer David Pratt is being credited with earning the fastest ever red card after being sent off just three seconds into a game.

The Chippenham striker made headlines Monday in England after getting the swift red card for lunging at Bashley's Chris Knowles in the seventh-tier Southern Premier Division over the weekend.

"I felt hard done-to by the ref's decision but he thinks it was a red card so I have to take it," Pratt told local media.

British media called Pratt's accomplishment a world record, although not all amateur leagues keep records of such feats. The record for quickest dismissal in a professional match is believed to be held by Italian club Bologna's Giuseppe Lorenzo, who was sent off after 10 seconds in 1990 for hitting a Parma player.

"The world record is not a big deal for me, it's not something that I'm proud of," Pratt said. "I'm not the sort of player that would deliberately go in to hurt someone. I play with passion and commitment and I saw the ball and just went for the tackle."

Bashley won Saturday's match 2-1.

"The lad's gone in with his studs showing and went straight through my player," Bashley manager Steve Riley said. "It was a potential leg-breaker. The ref had no choice."

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