Play-off charge held up by refs

JOHN Coleman believes poor officiating has cost his side around 10 points so far this season.

Following their 3-1 defeat at Carlisle United on Boxing Day, the Reds are outside the play-offs in ninth place in the League Two table, but with another 10 points, they would be second, putting them right in contention for automatic promotion.

The latest decision which angered Coleman came earlier this month when Farrend Rawson was shown a controversial red card in the 2-0 defeat at Lincoln City, with that decision later rescinded.

Coleman hopes that refereeing decisions will improve for his team as the campaign progresses, but admits his players also have to take responsibility for some of their own shortcomings.

“The Rawson decision was a gross mistake but these have happened to us regularly this season,” he told the club’s official website.

“They have restricted our challenge for the top as we believe they have cost us around 10 points – I am sure other teams feel the same – and it is frustrating,” he told the club’s official website.

“We have to hope it improves in the second half of the season. Saying that, it is easy to hide behind the referee but there are still flaws in our performance.

“We are on a blip at the moment, and the last thing you need when you are going through this is having major decisions go against you, but we have to ride it, believe in ourselves, play with more freedom and attack like we know we can attack.

“What we have to do is play more in the opposition’s half and then, if there is a decision which goes against us, it doesn’t affect us in the same way as costing us a goal.”