Coley blasts ‘nonsense’ dismissal

JOHN Coleman spoke at length about the effects match officials are having on games following his side’s 1-1 draw against MK Dons.

Coleman said: “The over-riding emotion is disappointment, that four officials can have such an influence on the game. They don’t mean to spoil it on purpose, but the fact is they have.

“You’ve got a throw-in and a lad has tried to cut the ball out, there’s no lunge, no force in the challenge whatsoever – he has caught him, and he has caught him with his studs. But if everyone who catches someone with their studs unintenionally or raises their leg above knee height gets sent off, you’ll be playing five-aside.

“There were other incidences where people raised their feet and were lucky they didn’t get sent off.

“It’s a nonsense of a sending off. I’ve seen so many challenges on our players this season go unpunished and I’d like to think that’s anorther major decision gone wrong against us – I think we’re up to about 15 now.

“Is there any point appealing? He did catch him, but was there any intent? One hundred per cent, no. Was it a lunge? One hundred per cent, no. Was is forceful? One hundred per cent, no.

“If anything he has dangled a leg trying to control the ball. It’s farcical.

“It won’t be the last bad decision of the season and the sad thing for me is, we get more than most and that’s just the way it goes. We just have to deal with it or get out of the game.

“I thought we’d have won the game with eleven v eleven, I thought we had the bit between our teeth, so it’s difficult to accept having gone down to ten men unjustly in my opinion.