We could've got something from the game, says McMahon

Saturday 19th December 2009

THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon says he feels “aggrieved” coming back from their top-of-the-table clash on the wrong end of a 3-1 defeat at Lowestoft Town, writes Stephen McCartney.

There were only TWO games on in the entire Ryman League today, due to the wintry conditions, the other game saw Hastings United move to within eight points of leaders Dartford (who now have four games in hand) with a 2-1 win over Boreham Wood in the Premier.

Things started well for Thamesmead, as striker Rikki Cable gave them a 52nd minute lead, before the present league leaders Lowestoft went on to score three goals to move five points clear of McMahon’s men.

Speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk whilst on the team coach returning home from Suffolk, McMahon was pleased with his side’s performance, but slammed the performance of the match referee.

He said: “Lowestoft are a really good side. We were solid first half, we had a couple of really good chances, Rikki (Cable) up front was causing them problems for fun.

“To be fair, they had a couple of chances themselves but we could have come in at half-time maybe one or two goals to the good.

“We went 1-0 up through Rikki, a really good finish, then they brought on their new signing, Joe Francis, played for Corby Town in Conference North, who they signed this morning, he played on the left, good player, and he scored with his first touch and then it was all about the referee!

“He gave them an unbelievable penalty when just the crowd called for it and no-one else in the ground thought it was a penalty, then he turned down an absolutely stonewall penalty for us on Joel Greaves, then there was a push in the box on (my central defender) James Campbell, so we feel really aggrieved.

“We came here and we should have got a result. We were super! We really, really worked hard and feel the word cheated, which is quite hard, but we do.

“The referee’s performance was not good enough! There were two top-of-the-table sides today and an inadequate referee. I want to call him a Sunday morning one to be honest with you, but I don’t really want to. It was all about him! He couldn’t cope with the 700 fans!”

Thamesmead would have leapfrogged over the Suffolk giants had they won today, but McMahon knows his side didn’t disgrace themselves at Crown Meadow.

“Listen, they’ve got a great crowd, a good set up, all about Lowestoft is really good and positive and you can’t knock them,” said McMahon.

“Every club in our league wants to strive to be something like Lowestoft.

“It doesn’t help when you set yourself a game plan out, we worked really hard, like we did against Concord and East Thurrock.

“We were superb, defended well, hit them on the break, played some great stuff.

“To feel, lets us say, to feel aggrieved in a ref’s performance has killed us. Otherwise, we deserved something in the game.

“Lowestoft wouldn’t disagree, they were full of compliments. It’s a hard pill to take. We all feel really gutted as we feel we could have got something from the game.”

Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk