Doesn't have to be VC. SFP talks about excessive force, now it could easily be argued that any force is excessive as there was no attempt to play the ball, challenging with any force when you have zero chance of getting to the ball can only be excessive (i.e. not needed). I've sent players off for this, including at steps 3 and 4, and I'll continue to do so at lower levels. Any arguments will get the "you deliberately kicked the player with no attempt to get the ball" response. They might not like it, but it is fully supported in law.
And that leads onto the other issue. That type of kick out (I'm not going to call it a tackle because it isn't a tackle) at lower levels inevitably produces a confrontation or even a mass con. My experience is that immediately pulling out a red stops that firmly in its tracks. And to be clear, I'm not talking cynical trips when players are clear and breaking away, rather when there is a lunge or a clear kick out just to take out the opponent.