KEWELL SEES RED IN HEAVY DEFEAT
HARRY KEWELL felt his sending off was harsh as his first league game in charge of Notts County ended with a disastrous defeat at Exeter City.
The rock bottom Magpies were already 4-1 behind when the newly-appointed boss was shown a red card by referee Neil Hair for arguing whether his side should have been awarded a penalty in the clash at St James Park.
However, he had no complaints with the result as his side were comprehensively beaten by an Exeter side that could have won by more.
“We went in at 1-2 and it was game on,” Kewell said. “I was confident we were going to get something out of the game. But anther set-piece and a mistake and we are 3-1 down. That is when the anger kicked in.
“I questioned the handball. The eagle-eyed referee sees another handball gives it them and they miss it so we are still in it.
“Then there was a cross in the box and it was one of those does it hit his hand, or does it not? The referee says no, we are complaining, they go up the other end and score.
“That was disappointing and that is when I get my marching orders. I said ‘well done’ to the referee; I said you can see one in the far corner, but not one straight in front of you.
“Everyone wants to win, I am a winner. We had to try things and we had to be vulnerable at the back to get players in the box.”
After four games without scoring, it was two goals in two minutes that got Exeter up and running. Firstly, Pierce Sweeney rose highest to head in a Lee Holmes corner in the 16th minute and then Jayden Stockley slammed the ball home from close range after being teed up superbly by Hiram Boateng. County found a way back into the contest two minutes before half-time when Enzio Boldewijn cut in from the left and curled a delightful effort over the head of Grecians goalkeeper Christy Pym and in off the underside of the crossbar.
Sweeney then grabbed his second from the penalty spot when Rob Milsom recklessly handballed a Nicky Law corner before Law crossed for Stockley to convert from close range for four and Kewell was sent from the dug-out.
Aaron Martin completed the scoring with Exeter’s fifth in stoppage time, heading in from Matt Jay’s cross.
Exeter manager Matt Taylor was thrilled with his side, and after the game said: “A clean sheet would have been nice as well, but there was a real purpose about us.
“We played on the front foot and ran them into the ground, we created chances and we could have scored a few more.
“I’m joking about that clean sheet, but I am disappointed with their goal. It is something we have to improve on.
“The players took everything on board off the back of last weekend. I felt we had to show more intent and desire higher up the pitch and not just play in front of our goal.”