Saunders sees red as Talbot sent off
CHESTERFIELD boss Dean Saunders felt Drew Talbot’s early red card spoilt the game for his side after they were held to a draw by Colchester United.
Talbot was dismissed by referee Iain Williamson in the 15th minute for denying a goalscoring opportunity, after he brought down U’s striker Marvin Sordell.
But Saunders felt Sordell was offside – and that right-back Talbot should have stayed on the field.
The Spireites were 3-1 up with 14 minutes remaining but Colchester salvaged a draw in a pulsating encounter at the Proact Stadium, following Charlie Raglan’s stoppage-time own goal.
Saunders said:“It was a strange game – the referee and linesman between them have killed us.
“Sordell is offside and the linesman has not seen it and not given it.
“He (Sordell) ran across Drew, who had nowhere to go and it wasn’t a red card, for me. It spoils the game for all of the supporters and for us really.
“But we scored three great goals and haven’t managed to hang on, at 31 up. But when Drew walked off the pitch, I probably would have taken a point.
“I feel sorry for them, because they worked so hard.”
And Colchester boss Tony Humes was frustrated his side did not claim victory against ten men.
Humes said:“We’re massively disappointed we’ve only got a point. Even before the sending off, it was a game we felt we should have won.
“We scored three times but we should have scored three times more than that.
“It’s about having that ruthlessness and being clinical at both ends of the field when it matters and doing it under pressure.
“All we can do is what we’ve done over the last few weeks and that’s work on that defensive aspect of the game, which we have done.” After Talbot's red card, Chesterfield took a 23rdminute lead through Dan Jones, whose free-kick evaded a cluster of players and flew in.
But Colchester equalised on the half hour when Gavin Massey drilled home from Callum Harriott’s delivery.
Harriott and Alex Gilbey both hit the woodwork for Colchester and Sordell missed a sitter, before Chesterfield restored their lead just after the hour through Lee Novak, who turned home Dan Gardner’s cross.
And the Spireites made it 3-1 with 16 minutes remaining when skipper Samy Morsy finished well from Ollie Banks’ assist.
But substitute George Moncur side-footed home Harriott’s pass for 3-2, and after he had clattered the crossbar in stoppagetime the midfielder’s cross was turned into his own net by Raglan.