Coley’s anger at Ross suspension
ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman admitted he was ‘livid’ over the booking that saw Ross Sykes suspended for two matches.
Sykes scored twice in Saturday’s 4-1 win against Crewe at the Wham Stadium, with Tommy Leigh and Sean McConville also on target while Dan Agyei pulled one back in stoppage time.
But the Reds’ joy at registering back to back wins, building on the 2-0 win against Oxford, was tempered by a last-minute booking for Sykes, who missed Wednesday evening’s clash against Sheffield Wednesday and was also due to sit out Saturday’s trip to Cambridge.
“I should be happy and
I am trying not to let the last three minutes spoil my day – the lads have been terrific to get a good win and there were lots of positives to take out of it,” said Coleman.
“We defended really well, we scored from four set plays and were value for the win.
“But I’m absolutely livid that Ross has been booked in the last minute because he’s suspended now. I see a player chop another player down four yards from us – hack him down, a horrendous challenge – and I see Ross get given handball against him when the ball has been played from half a yard away in the last minute of the game. Is there any need for the yellow card in the last minute of the game? I don’t think so. Ross has played the game impeccably and I’m livid over it but it can’t spoil the fact we’ve had a great win.
“We were dominant with the way that we played and I was happy to a point – I thought there was more in us. I thought we allowed the game to get bitty after we’d made a brilliant start. We wanted to fly out of the traps and we did, we pinned them in and had a couple of good chances before we scored. But then we just let the game peter on in the remainder of the half and left them to feel there was always something in it for them, that they could get something back.
“In the second half we slammed that door shut. It’s no surprise Sean (McConville) has the most assists in the league because his balls were bang on the money today. It can be a massive difference when games are tight and people can put a ball in with that quality.
“We were functional, we defended really well an limited them to very few chances. The goal that we conceded, the lapse in concentration, is possibly the reason we are where we are, we’ve done it time and time again this season.
“We scored some great goals and got Ross off the mark – but he will go home having scored two goals and feel absolutely on the floor, all down to someone’s perception of what is a booking and what’s not a booking.
“We conceded a late goal and that lapse of concentration is why we are where we are in the league.”
The result saw Coleman’s men maintain their place in the top half of the table and left them 10 points off the play-off places heading into the midweek game at Hillsborough.
‘Ross played the game impeccably and I’m livid over the booking’