I need to know: did Milner make the right play?

First off, if you don't know what I'm talking about, check out shuddertothink's first-class analysis here. For those too lazy to click, here's the what-what:

In the 23rd minute against WBA, Vincent Kompany got caught up in the midfield with way too many decisions to make and way too many of those decisions unavailable. The WBA players liberated him from the ball and since we had, per usual, sent our fullbacks up the pitch (I'm not complaining), the counter-attack was on. Enemy player Shane Long was streaking toward goal and rather than allow Long a clear shot, Milner took him down and got the red card. Me being a high school English teacher in love with graphic organizers, I created one to examine the pluses and minuses because a) I was doing grading and b) my wife and kid allow me time on the weekends to just watch soccer. Have I mentioned how much I love my wife and son?

Since I don't know how to insert a table, I thought I'd ask the group: did Milner make the right play? I don't know what to think. At worst, Long scores and we're down 1-0 on the road to a very confident club playing on their own pitch. But on the other hand, Hart is still thought of as the best GK on the planet, we were establishing ourselves as the better team and being a man down for 77+ minutes is not fun, especially on the road.

I initially thought it was a horrible play... until I saw the final score. Thoughts, anyone?