Tonbridge Angels 2-2 Hastings United - Referee should be officiating a pub side - fumes Warrilow

Saturday 26th December 2009

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 2-2 HASTINGS UNITED
Ryman Premier League
Boxing Day, Saturday 26th December 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium

CLUELESS referee Michael O’Keefe required SIX stewards to shepherded him out of Longmead Stadium and into his car - after two penalty decisions left Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow fuming and spending the vast majority of the eleven minute interview afterwards slating the decision making of the Sevenoaks based official.

The Angels were heading towards a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a Hastings United side that went into the game sitting eight points behind Dartford in second place in the Ryman Premier League table.

But two key decisions that went against Warrilow’s side ensured that it felt like two points dropped, rather than one gained.

Steve Ferguson’s corner from the left was met by a powerful header across goal from two-goal hero Lee Minshull, but Hastings substitute Lee Carey, scooping down, was deemed by the assistant on the far side to have handled the ball beside the post and raised his flag above his chest, as the home faithful in the crowd of 517 thought a penalty had been rewarded.

However, a group of Hastings players had other ideas, swarming around the assistant and after consultation between the two officials, no penalty was awarded, but a drop-ball on the edge of the Hastings penalty area instead.

Moments later, a challenge by Ade Olorunda on Angels’ makeshift left-back Liam Harwood, sparked off a 21-man brawl, which included both benches (management staff and substitutes) to sprint onto the pitch to what Warrilow described afterwards as to “calm it all down.”

Once order was restored, Hastings midfielder Ade Olorunda was red-carded for the initial challenge on Harwood; Tonbridge winger Kirk Watts was the next to go (for swearing) and Minshull was shown a yellow card.

If those ugly scenes weren’t enough, worse was to follow, as Hastings grabbed an equaliser (timed at 53:21) after Tim Olorunda (who flicked the ball over from six-yards following a disputed free-kick, whipped in by Russell Eldridge) apparently had his shirt pulled and the assistant controversially raised his flag over his chest and Carey (who would have been sent off if the penalty was awarded earlier) added salt into Tonbridge’s wounds by completing the smash-and-grab raid from the spot.

Eleventh-placed Tonbridge Angels, who were without 17-goal striker Carl Rook through a one-match suspension and later lost striker Paul Booth (groin), started well, and created a couple of decent chances inside the opening twenty minutes.

A floated free-kick from Watts was met by a fierce hooked shot from Jamie Cade inside the opening four minutes but Eldridge was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

Then, in the 18th minute, Hastings keeper Greg Nessling (who was the only player not to be involved in the brawl) made the best save of the match.

Anthony Storey’s floated free-kick was knocked down by Scott Gooding at the far post and Minshull smashed a volley goalwards, but the diving keeper pulled off an excellent block.

But Hastings United grabbed the lead, against the run of play, with their first shot on target, after 37th minute.

Right-sided midfielder Sam Adams was allowed to race forward and whip in a low curling cross, which was met by Ade Olorunda at the near post, and despite losing his footing under Marc Cumberbatch’s challenge, diverted the ball past the despairing dive from keeper Lee Worgan to find the bottom near corner.

However, the game turned on it’s head, as central midfielder Minshull took his tally to 12 goals for the season, with two goals inside 102 seconds.

Watts floated in a free-kick from 30-yards, which Nessling flapped at and the ball dropped nicely for the former Ramsgate midfielder to smash the ball into the net from six-yards.

Tonbridge Angels made it 2-1 after 41 minutes when Ferguson was released down the right and after cutting inside Jimmy Elford, the Scottish winger found Minshull unmarked at the far post, to head down and in from six-yards.

Hastings central midfielder, Michael Phillips (who like the Olorunda brothers played for the Kent club last season) was finally booked on the stroke of half-time, as all he did during the first half was to steal the show with his petulant side, wanting to clash with everybody that came his way.

Thankfully, former Tonbridge boss Tony Dolby substituted him at the interval, but the second half was a poor affair.

Tonbridge’s one real chance arrived in the 83rd minute when Nessling did well to beat out Cade’s effort, after a swift move involving keeper Worgan (who had plucked a free-kick comfortably out of the air), Storey and Watts.

Then came the three talking points, and with only 116 seconds from the final whistle, Carey accepted the late Christmas gift from the match officials, drilling his right-footed penalty past Worgan to find the bottom right-hand corner to take away the three points that the home side richly deserved.

Warrilow was so fuming afterwards that he needed a drink in the executive lounge with his assistant Cliff Cant before speaking for just over eleven minutes to www.kentishfootball.co.uk inside the boardroom.

The two key penalty box incidents enraged the Tonbridge boss.

He fumed: “A header across the goal from Minshull, the lad on the line has gone down on his hands and knees. It is handball! We can all see it!

“The linesman in front of us can see it! The linesman the other side gives a penalty and the ref gives is and they all get round him and he goes over to the linesman and disallows it and gives a drop ball. I don’t know why?

“Then, two minutes later, the linesman our side gives a foul. We don’t know what it’s for. He said pulling, which has been going on all the way through the game.

“I didn’t see any pulling in there and the ref don’t even go and talk to him and ask him why?

“It’s just getting beyond the joke now Steve, week in, week out.

“I still can’t believe what I’ve seen. Two massive decisions, big decisions and it’s soul destroying really.”

Warrilow then spoke about the brawl and explained why he felt the need to race onto the pitch.

“Listen, you know what footballers are like,” he said. “There’s no real punches, it’s all pushing and shoving.

“The benches just went on there to calm it all down. No-ones gone on there to inflame it.

“Liam Harwood has got caught. His shin pad was on and underneath his shin pad is where Ade’s caught him. Ade is just a player that gives 120% and he was just a bit late on that one.

“His caught the lad and there’s marks on his legs. He’s icing it now and he’s a doubt for Margate (at Hartsdown Park on Tuesday night) if that swells up overnight.

“But if the ref’s sent him off that’s got nothing to do with us. The boys have gone over the top. They’ll be doing the same and I don’t think there was a massive, massive appeal or shouting or hollering. Once Ade went that’s when it all sort of kicked off again.

“It’s just a load of handbags. The reason why everyone went on there was just to separate it all and calm it all down. We don’t want that! We want a game of football to get going and again the referee weren’t going to control it was he? I suppose the benches had to go on there and calm it down!”

Warrilow was puzzled as to why Watts, slender in build, was sent off for swearing.

“Lee Minshull got booked for getting involved, there’s 21 players out there,” said Warrilow.

“Watsie hasn’t got a punch in him so I just think the referee panicked and wanted to even it up. It’s just ridiculous! You’re telling me if Watsie swore - so what! Swearing happens in football, whether it’s right or wrong, you don’t send people off for it!

“Someone’s got caught, who could have broken his leg if he caught him wrong. I’m not saying Ade meant it but he’s gone in late, caught him and someone’s swearing is the same punishment?

Warrilow continued his rant at the referee by saying, “They cost people’s jobs. If I want to mess about and have a laugh and a joke I’ll go and play with my mates in the pub team and he can officiate them because that was his level today. He was lost.

“Unless they (the Football Association) address it, it’s alright sending people off and picking fines up, unless they start improving the standard of refereeing in general then the game is in trouble because it’s not consistent.

“You can’t have any characters anymore. You can’t talk to them and today underlines that with him refusing to answer any questions.

“He didn’t know the answers to the questions, that was the bottom line. I’ve never seen that before especially for a home team as well.”

Speaking about the game itself, Warrilow felt his side had done enough to claim all three points and came so close to end their three match losing streak.

“We deserved something more out of that today,” he said. “First half we played some good stuff again.

“Hastings scored against the run of play. Ade’s fell over and punched it in the net and the referee didn’t even see that!

“Then we go 2-1 up, which I thought justified and second half has become a little bit of a free-for-all. My goalie has not made a save.

“I can’t dig my back four out with both goals. We didn’t lose today to Hastings. We lost today to a referee, a very poor, poor referee. Embarrassing! Absolutely embarrassing! I’m just absolutely livid! I’m fuming with that.

“We wanted to get a little win here today to build on and carry on through the Christmas period and new year and he’s basically cost us a couple of points here today.”

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Scott Gooding, Jon Heath, Lee Minshull, Liam Harwood, Marc Cumberbatch, Steve Ferguson, Anthony Storey, Paul Booth (Akwasi Edusei 63), Jamie Cade, Kirk Watts.
Subs: Tom Bryant, Paul Butler, Sonny Miles, Liam Baker.

Goals: Lee Minshull 40, 41

Booked: Steve Ferguson 53, Lee Minshull 88

Sent Off: Kirk Watts 88

Hastings United: Greg Nessling, Steve Elliott, Jimmy Elford, Nathan Russell, Sean Ray, Michael Phillips (Lee Carey 46), Sam Adams, Tim Olorunda, Ade Olorunda, Scott Ramsey (Liam Upton 46, Josh Jirbandey 59), Russell Eldridge.
Subs: Rhys Whyborne, Tony Dolby.

Goals: Ade Olorunda 37, Lee Carey 90 (pen)

Booked: Michael Phillips 45

Sent off: Ade Olorunda 87

Attendance: 517
Referee: Mr Michael O’Keefe (Sevenoaks)
Assistants: Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks) & Mr James Macey (Bexleyheath)