PHIL SEES RED YET AGAIN
Shrimpers boss facing a long ban as troops draw
PHIL BROWN is facing a lengthy ban after being sent to the stands for aiming a foul-mouthed volley at fourth official Mark Heywood.
The Shrimpers boss – hot favourite for the Bolton job before being overlooked in favour of Phil Parkinson – was furious at what he saw as preferential treatment for the home side.
And after goals from Harry Kyprianou and Keshi Anderson settled a rain-sodden contest, the 57-year-old’s frustration bubbled over.
Sent off in last season’s penultimate match at Bury, Brown claims he was threatened with a ten-game touchline ban only for LMA intervention to reduce the sanction to four.
Having returned to the dugout only last week, this latest outburst is likely to prompt a heavy-handed response from the FA – not that a seething Brown was in any mood for damage limitation.
“Phil had the referee behind closed doors at half-time,” explained the Southend manager, a former Bolton player who spent several years as assistant to Sam Allardyce at the Macron. “And some of the words that were coming out of his mouth...well, if that had been me, I don’t think I’d have been on the touchline for the second half.
“After that, the referee changed his attitude towards us. I’m not a conspiracy theorist by any stretch of the imagination, but it felt like there were different rules for both teams.
“Take the towel issue. Because I was getting the ball and asking for it to be cleaned, I was reprimanded for leaving my box. Yet if you look at their bench, they were just as bad.
“We had a three on three, our lad gets fouled and nothing is given. Seconds later, they put a ball in our box. Three minutes go up and the ref plays five. Come on, do me a favour.
“What will happen now? I don’t know. But I will defend myself robustly.”
Brown’s show-stealing cameo aside, this was a tale of dazzling debuts. Having marked his professional bow with a goal against Brighton in midweek, Kyprianou made it two in two when he met John White’s third-minute cross
with a thunderous volley into the top corner.
Anderson was making his first start since breaking a leg while playing for Doncaster last season. His goal – a brave leap with the keeper – was the least Bolton deserved for a performance of almost total domination.
The Trotters notched 23 attempts on goal and 63 per cent possession in a vain bid to maintain their 100 per cent home record. David Wheater saw a header blocked by his own man, Jay Spearing – inspirational for his side – shot wide, and Liam Trotter forced a save from the shaky Ted Smith.
Dubious challenges in the box on Mark Beevers and Gary Madine also went unpunished by referee Sebastien Stockbridge, leaving Parkinson with gripes of his own.
“I’m beginning to get a bit concerned about that,” said the Bolton boss. “Madine was fouled. Beevers was being grappled to the ground. When you look at some of the penalties given in other games and some of the ones we’re not getting, I’m beginning to question the officials.”
Southend defended manfully but were ultimately let down by their rookie keeper. A butterfingered bag of nerves all day, the 20-year-old flapped, fumbled and finally crumbled, allowing Anderson to nod home a ball that should have been claimed.
Brown called it a “great point, a Sam Allardyce point”. Parkinson was more downbeat. “We were caught out early by a side with a gameplan,” he admitted. “But after that I don’t think we could have done any more.”