Garratt under fire as Skem see double red
IF referee Sarah Garratt was on any Skelmersdale Christmas card lists, it is highly unlikely that she is now. Saturday was the third time the Coventry based official has refereed Skelmersdale United and she has now sent off three Skelmersdale United players in that time.
Skelmersdale were already 3-0 down when the referee sent off two Skelmersdale players in quick succession, as they succumbed to the physical strength of the hosts, a point manager Tommy Lawson tried to get over to Ms Garratt in the early stages of the game, only to receive a lecture from the referee in return.
Arguably the dismissals only rubbed salt into the wounds from a Skelmersdale perspective, but this was then turned into a very sour taste 15 minutes from time, when a clear two footed tackle on Phil Mooney was only punished by a yellow card to Barwell’s Declan Towers.
After a close opening period Barwell took the lead from the penalty spot on 13 minutes, Skem defender Phil Mooney stretched and played the ball with Barwell number seven Owen Story, the latter went down and a penalty was given, Callum Ball stroking the ball home.
Midway through the half, Skelmersdale’s Martin Fearon did well to deal with a half volley from Ball, while Luke Wall had a shot at the Barwell goal that went high and wide.
The first major incident that referee Garratt treated too lightly came on 35 minutes.
A long ball into the Skelmersdale area saw home striker Luke Barlone elbow Fearon in the face before having a headed goal disallowed, Fearon required lengthy treatment on his mouth and a yellow card was shown to Barlone when a red one maybe would have been justified.
It was Barlone that crucially doubled Barwell’s advantage on 41 minutes and it was what is known in the game as a “Worldy”.
The six foot plus man won a challenge for a long ball, turned and met the ball with a dipping volley that no goalkeeper in the World could have saved.
Two minutes later it was arguably all over.
Alex Tomkinson was given too much room on the left, Fearon did a tremendous job blocking his first shot, but the rebound fell perfectly for Tomkinson who drilled the ball low into the Skelmersdale net.
Skelmersdale did quite well after the interval, although Fearon made one good save from a header, Alex Davies was only denied by an outstretched boot after his mazy run through the Barwell defence came close to dividends.
If being 3-0 down was bad enough for Skem, it got decidedly worse in the 15 minutes that followed the hour mark.
As frustration set in, Michael Grogan was issued with a red card that was perhaps was justified for a challenge on Barwell’s Craig Stanley.
A minute later Barwell got a fourth via a Brady Hickey diving header.
As the players were going back to the middle, Ms Garratt waved a red card at Max Hazeldine; apparently he expressed the views that many from Skelmersdale had of the officiating, wrong and undisciplined? Yes, but possibly understandably.
On 75 minutes came a challenge that brought even more criticism onto the referee.
Mooney won a challenge and the ball ran between him and Towers, Mooney reached the ball first and played it, Towers crashed with both feet into Mooney’s chest, after the match the bloodied stud marks were there for all to see as evidence.
How only a yellow card was displayed only Ms Garratt will know, especially after her earlier action against Skelmersdale.
The latter stages saw Chris Almond bring a superb diving save from home keeper Liam Castle, but really it was now a case of both sides playing out time.
Barwell were the better team and deserved to win, but sadly the game will be remembered for the performance of the referee.
She allowed Skelmersdale to be bullied by Barwell and at the same time either didn’t see or made some unexpected interpretations on incidents and it had a big influence on the game.
It wasn’t the reason Skelmersdale lost, but it has cost them the services of two good players for a few games.