CONCERN RAISED BY DOUBLE REFEREE BLUNDER

NOT usually one for referee bashing, but there have been some terrible decisions over the last few days.

My colleague Sam Elliott reckons the blunder to rule out a goal for Woking on Tuesday night is the worst he’s seen.

Braintree clearly played the ball back towards their own keeper, striker Chigozie Ugwu intercepted and slotted the ball in, only to be flagged for off-side.

Mistakes will happen, we all accept it, but something like that can’t go unnoticed by all four officials.

Of course, the Iron will feel things are finally being levelled out after last season’s furore at Guiseley. Expecting the ball to be rolled back to their keeper after an injury, Oli Norwood sent the ball sailing into the net.

Up at Tranmere, also on Tuesday night, James Norwood was shown a red for a clash with North Ferriby keeper Rory Watson.

The Rovers striker goes for a fair-game ball as Watson tries to gather. As the keeper stands up, the ball spills out and Norwood pokes it into the net.

The goal is ruled out by referee Tom Neild and Norwood shown the red.

His appeal to the FA has been turned down on inconclusive video evidence, even though the reverse camera angle, for me, shows a sending off was wrong. Now the former England C captain is on the sidelines for three games until November 22.

On the same evening, Torquay boss Kevin Nicholson labelled David Rock’s decision to rule that Brett Williams passed the ball back to his own keeper Brendan Moore as “one of the worst I’ve seen in football.” Eastleigh scored from the free-kick.

No one is disputing refereeing is a difficult job, and we’re all very aware how much they are needed.

But decisions like we saw on Tuesday are only reinforcing off-the-record chats that the standards in the National League are really slipping.