Great Scott! Fans fume as referee rules out Lang Jacks’ early goal
1 1
WHICKHAM had to settle for one point in an entertaining but controversial 1-1 draw against Carlisle City at a cold, wet and windy First Mortgage Glebe.
The deadlock was broken just six minutes into the second half through Scott Robson’s closerange strike, but Samuel Atkinson rescued a point for the visitors inside the final 10 minutes.
Scott Robson thought he had opened the scoring after just 10 minutes when he outmuscled his man before neatly slotting the ball past Lewis Boyd in the Carlisle goal.
However, referee Matthew Davidson deemed Robson to have fouled his man in the build up to the goal – a decision that did not go down well with the home fans.
Robson was alert again only three minutes later, latching onto a through ball from Kaleb Young but the striker dragged his shot wide of Boyd’s right-hand post.
The pair linked up again halfway through the first half after taking a quick corner but Young’s curling shot from the edge of the box was smartly saved.
The visitors almost scored with their first chance of the match, Josh Simpson’s bending free kick from 20 yards beat Nathan Harker but not his post.
Whickham went on the attack again, this time Joey Smith skilfully dribbled past two Carlisle players before rolling the ball back to Nathan Greenwood to hammer past Boyd.
The Lang Jacks thought they had finally opened the scoring, but Greenwood’s strike was chalked off after the referee deemed the ball to have already rolled out of play leading up to the goal.
The hosts deservedly opened the scoring early in the second half when Young’s sublime through ball cut open the Carlisle defence leaving Robson with little to do from close range.
Whickham kept pushing forward for a second and decisive goal, but Boyd again positioned himself well to deny Smith’s curling effort.
Greenwood was next to have a shot after drifting in from the righthand side, but Boyd was alert and down quickly to make the save.
Whickham pushed forward again and somehow missed a golden opportunity with less than 15 minutes left on the clock.
Smith’s turn of pace left his man behind before delivering an inchperfect cross for Greenwood, but Boyd was perfectly positioned to pull off a point-blank save from just three yards out.
Whickham paid the price for not capitalising on their chances inside the final 10 minutes.
The Lang Jacks failed to clear their lines and Samuel Atkinson was in the right place to slot the ball past Harker from close range.
Whickham almost grabbed a winner with the last kick of the match, but Robson’s shot from a tight angle rolled inches wide of Boyd’s far post.
WHICKHAM: Harker, Howard, Garside, Galbraith, Agnew, Yoxall, Dunn, Young, Smith, Robson, Greenwood.
Subs not used: Below, Moody, Peareth, Priest, Jasper.
CARLISLE CITY: Boyd, Gordon, Hartley, Allison (H. Atkinson), Kirkup, Holt, Ivison, Simpson, S. Atkinson, Swailes (Williamson), Kerr (Kelly)
Subs not used: J. Atkinson, Seggie.