Remainder of yesterday’s National League action
REFEREE Samuel Barrott was in the eye of a penalty storm last night after worthy Woking were denied by Dennis.
The only point rival bosses Neal Ardley and Alan Dowson agreed on was that Notts should have had a late spot kick when defender Moussa Diarra climbed on the outstanding Carl Roberts.
That left the simmering discontent of home fans boiling over at the final whistle and Ardley unable to contain his frustration.
“I’m very, very angry, there’s nothing we can do about the man in the middle,” the Notts manager said. “Carl has taken the ball beyond the defender, is through on goal and is taken out.
“We created enough chances to win the game.”
While acknowledging his defender got lucky, Dowson claimed Barrott’s mistakes were ‘on both sides’. He said:
“I don’t know why our goal didn’t stand and we should have had a penalty. We had the better chances and probably deserved the three points.”
In truth, Woking fully merited the point and looked destined for all three until a moment of magic from Roberts rescued Notts.
The excellent Max Kretzschmar glanced Dave Tarpey’s cross into the net via a post on 50 minutes and the visitors looked comfortable until the winger’s mazy run and squared pass gave Kristian Dennis a rare sight of goal. The free-scoring striker did what he does best, firing in from 12 yards.
Yet, although Roberts nearly set up Mitchell Rose soon afterwards, Dowson was justifiably proud of the way his side kept Notts and their baying fans at bay.
Striker Alex Wall brought three saves from Notts keeper Joe McDonnell, including a diving effort five minutes after Woking took the lead.
Tarpey also nodded a cross from the lively Jamar Loza wide when he could have doubled their advantage.
Notts spurned clear chances of their own with Craig Ross blocking an early Kyle Wootton shot when he was through one-on-one and Roberts lifting his shot over after the goalkeeper had denied Enzio Boldewijn.
The most fluent move of the day saw O’Brien lift his first-time shot over after a neat exchange with Roberts.
Ross was also alert to prevent a curling Roberts cross sneaking in at the far post as Notts sought an equaliser.
Woking’s spirit after seven successive defeats on the road was highlighted by Loza on a cross-field solo charge across the field, while Ben Geering took one in the face for his team when Jim O’Brien let fly as Dowson’s men defied their recent slump.