Farnborough boss Spencer Day
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Day in a ref rant as brave Farnborough are denied
By Jon CouchSeptember 06, 2012
SPENCER DAY lambasted referee Tim Wood after a controversial penalty decision ultimately robbed his Farnborough side of at least a share of the spoils in an incident-packed encounter at York Road.
The Gloucestershire official pointed to the spot mid-way through the second half when Boro debutant Michal Steinke brought down Magpies striker Reece Tilson-Lascaris, although video evidence later showed the incident had occurred a good three yards outside of the penalty box.
Steinke, quite rightly, was sent off for the professional foul and Bobby Behzadi added to Boro’s misery by firing home from the spot to leave the visitors two goals adrift and with a mountain to climb.
Referee Wood redressed the balance by awarding Boro a penalty six minutes later which Nic Ciardini rifled home for his fifth goal of the season, but it proved too little too late to save Day’s men from a second defeat of the season, much to the manager’s frustration.
“The penalty decision grates on me because it’s a key moment in the game,” Day raged. “My defender has got it wrong, it’s a red card, I’m not disputing that, but it’s a good two to three yards outside the box so it’s not a penalty, it’s not even close.
“It’s all well and good the referee saying he’ll look at it and then apologising if what I’m saying is true, but it’s cost us the game because then we are 3-1 down and we’ve got to chase the game with ten men. Yes, we made an almighty fist of it but we didn’t play well and I don’t want it to disguise the fact that I thought it was a poor performance from us and we’ve got to get better.”
Day’s mood soured as early as the third minute when Tilson-Lascaris put the hosts in front after powering through four Boro defenders almost unchallenged to slot home into the corner of the net.
And but for goalkeeper Craig Bradshaw in brilliantly keeping out the same man, as well as Devante McKain and David Pratt, Boro would have been even further adrift at the break.
But the resurgence was short-lived as the Magpies pounced within a minute – Pratt stealing in to collect a loose ball in front of the advancing Bradshaw and lobbing the keeper into an empty net.
New signing Serge Makofo, the former Grimsby Town front man, brilliantly halved the deficit nine minutes later with a fine curling effort into the far corner, but just when it looked like Boro made turn the tables, Steinke upended Tilson-Lascaris for the penalty which ultimately left Boro with too much to do.
Victory came on the back of a Ciardini-inspired 2-0 victory over Bromley on Saturday.
The fans’ favourite marked his 24th birthday with a pair of first-half strikes before Bradshaw’s second-half penalty save from Danny Waldren ensured Boro kept their visitors’ at arm’s length after the break to secure the win.
Day will be hoping for much the same on Saturday when Boro make the trip to Boreham Wood.
BORO: Bradshaw, Smith, Treacher, Bosch, Inns, Abalimba (Steinke 45), Bennett, Laidler, Tarpey (Clarke 71), Moody (Makofo 45), Ciardini. Subs: Huggins, Norris. Ref: Tim Wood. Att: 359.
* Olympic bronze medallist boxer Anthony Ogogo is among the stars to play in a celebrity charity match at Cherrywood Road on Sunday.
The teams, managed by ex-boxer Joe Calzaghe and Blue singer Lee Ryan, include Ogogo, Welsh boxer Nathan Cleverly, Soccer AM’s ‘Tubes’ and ex-Manchester United striker Dion Dublin.
A number of actors from TOWIE, EastEnders and Hollywood Nights are also due to play in the match which has been organised by former AFC Wimbledon striker Kevin Cooper in aid of the Prince’s Trust. Kick off is at 2pm.
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