Oliver twist on penalty angers Everton’s boss
AARON LENNON has finally found something to smile about but Roberto Martinez wore the frown of a man down on his luck as he headed for home.
His side have found a degree of freedom since their European travels came to an end. In winning three on the trot they started to resemble the side that blitzed their way through last season and this game, in the mind of Martinez but not many others, should have been a fourth.
They were leading through Lennon’s first-half strike when, in the 69th minute they conceded a contentious penalty.
Séamus Coleman fell under minimal contact from Marvin Emnes and then handled the ball. Martinez called for a foul on Coleman; referee Michael Oliver called a penalty for handball and Jonjo Shelvey buried the kick. Everton’s manager seethed as three points became one. ‘We feel like it was a defeat,’ he said.
‘It is difficult to take. I am very satisfied with the performance because they are a difficult side to play. Look at the way they open teams up like Arsenal and Manchester United.
‘For the first 20 or 25 minutes of the second half it was too easy. We just couldn’t find the second goal. You are exposed at 1-0 and something happened.
‘Séamus felt there was contact. Séamus loses his balance and as he falls he ends up touching the ball with his hand. There was no goalscoring threat whatsoever. The referee in those moments can make his own decision but I think it was very harsh.
‘He should have applied a bit of common sense. From my point of view, seeing it in a biased way, I would have wanted to see a free-kick awarded. Two or three actions straight after it was exactly the same and given as a free-kick. That is disappointing. You want some consistency.’ Swansea did not deserve to win but they certainly did not deserve to lose a game in which manager Garry Monk felt Arouna Kone might been sent off.
There was also a wonderful goal from Shelvey disallowed in the first half because Wayne Routledge fouled Leighton Baines. It appeared to be a harsh call.
Monk said: ‘I was disappointed with the disallowed goal. I thought it was very harsh on what could have been one of the goals of the season.’
He at least had the consolation of watching Shelvey have one of those days when the correct parts of his brain are in operation. He is capable of winning matches and losing matches but he was excellent here, driving Swansea early in the game before Lennon put Everton in front on 41 minutes. Fittingly it was Shelvey whose goal claimed Swansea’s 47th point of the season – equalling their record from 2012.
Monk said: ‘The plan was three points and to get it (the record) in front of our fans. There is a slight disappointment and that shows how far we have come.’ sWansea (4-3-3): Fabianski 6.5; Rangel 6, Fernandez 6, Williams 6, Taylor 6; Ki 6.5, Cork 6.5, Shelvey 7.5 (Dyer 83); Sigurdsson 6, Gomis 6 (Emnes 17, 6.5), Routledge 6.5. subs (not used): Amat, Britton, Grimes, Tremmel, Fulton. Booked: Taylor, Emnes, Williams. eVerTOn (4-2-3-1): Howard 6.5; Coleman 6, Stones 6, Jagielka 6.5, Baines 6.5; McCarthy 6.5, Barry 7; Lennon 6.5, Barkley 6 (Mirallas 86), Osman 6 (Pienaar 28, 6); Kone 5 (Naismith 76). subs (not used): Robles, Besic, Garbutt, Alcarazu. Booked: Kone, Howard, Lennon. reFeree: Michael Oliver 5.