Coleman fumes after Pell assaulted
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JOHN COLEMAN claimed the match should have been abandoned after one of his Accrington players was assaulted before missing from the spot in their defeat at Rotherham.
Harry Pell had his 89th-minute penalty saved by Josh Vickers, moments after Rotherham fans had run onto the pitch, with one appearing to strike Pell.
The penalty was awarded after Richard Wood had seen red for blocking Korede Adedoyin’s goalbound shot with his hand.
Coleman, who confirmed Pell was the player he said was assaulted, claimed: “I have never
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seen anything like that in my life. I was expecting the game to be abandoned. It is one of those situations where Pelly is desperate to take it because he has been assaulted as well.
“I feel physically sick. I am beat and I have nothing more to offer. I can’t fight back. I can’t criticise. I am proud of how the lads played. It was a classic away display. I am sure the authorities will do what they have to do.”
Dan Barlaser struck the game’s only goal in the second half as the Millers strengthened their hold at the top and moved six points clear.
Home manager Paul Warne said: “I am hugely embarrassed.
It’s awful because I don’t get to talk about how good we were defending the box, how good the penalty save was or the last-ditch defending was.
“I can only apologise on behalf of the club and I have apologised to all their staff. There is no way I can justify that.
“After the penalty, we were hanging on for dear life.
“We have played three games in a week and got nine points. It’s not my players’ fault what happened. They can only do what they can do on the pitch and they take a lot of credit. It is tinged with disappointment and takes some shine off the performance.”